Body, dash cam videos released in deadly crash that led to dismissed cases, NC trooper investigation
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Videos related to a deadly crash in October 2024 on Capital Boulevard have been released. The videos led to an NC SBI investigation requested by the Wake County District Attorney's Office in January.
Several body cam videos were released Friday afternoon by the Raleigh Police Department and dash cam videos were released by the NC State Highway Patrol (NCSHP).
Tyrone Mason, a father of five, died in that crash. Trooper Garrett Macario is seen walking behind the vehicle after the wreck. He snaps a picture and a few seconds later, he is approached by a Raleigh police officer. The officer's body camera records their exchange.
Raleigh officer, "Were you like pulling him over or something? You were just driving by?"
Trooper Macario responds with, "This is the area I work so and I came up on it and I saw the smoke and heard all the cars hitting the debris. I moved the tire off the road and that, everything else is still intact."
Raleigh officer replies, "Mmmm, okay."
In the dash and body cam video released by NCSHP, you see Trooper Macario turn on lights and sirens and pursue a speeding car. Once near the scene of a crash, you see smoke and debris on the other side of the road. Trooper Macario turns around in the median and then turns off the lights and sirens.
You then see him on the phone talking to someone, who is later identified as his supervisor Sgt. Matthew Morrison. He has Sgt. Morrison on the phone and you hear him telling Trooper Macario to not say he was pursing the driver. To say that he" just came up on the scene."
Macario and Sgt. Morrison has been on administrative leave since January.
WATCH | Raw Video from deadly October 2024 Tyrone Mason crash
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said Macario's false and misleading information led to her office having to dismiss 180 cases. That's because of the doubt surrounding Macario's credibility as a witness in those cases.
Freeman announced earlier this week, she is not filing charges against him. She says the evidence would not support a successful conviction.
Attorney Bakari Seller represents the Mason Family and has been critical of the decision.
"She's giving these officers the benefit of the doubt that a normal citizen of Wake County would not get. They lied," Sellers said.
Video Release Ruling
This follows a judge's ruling last week mandating the dash cam and body cam footage to be released related to a fatal crash last October on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh.
The released videos should include recordings of all law enforcement officers who encountered Mason on October 7th, 2024, beginning at 2:30 am, the day and time of the crash.
In his ruling, Judge Thomas Currin said it was in the best interest of the public and the credibility of law enforcement that recordings be released in the deadly crash of 31-year-old Tyrone Mason.
"I do find that the release of these videos is necessary to advance a compelling public interest, namely, confidence in law enforcement," Currin said. "Furthermore, the public has a compelling right to know why the Wake County D.A. had to dismiss 180-plus cases as a result of these officers. I do find that there is good cause to release the videos."
SEE ALSO | Family, attorneys await release of videos in Tyrone Mason crash
Timeline
On Oct. 7, 2024, Raleigh police initially reported that a driver (Tyrone Mason) was speeding along Capital Boulevard and lost control.
SEE ALSO | Warrants: Trooper denied chasing Raleigh driver who died in October crash
Search warrants obtained by ABC11 News revealed that District Attorney Lorrin Freeman and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into the traffic accident.
Investigators say state trooper Garret Macario attempted to stop Mason before the crash. According to documents, Macario's body cam at 2:32 a.m. showed him making a phone call to his supervisor, Sgt. Matthew Morrison. Morrison allegedly asked whether Macario had called in a vehicle chase over the radio, to which Macario said no.
Morrison then reportedly told Macario that the traffic accident was the Raleigh Police Department's problem and advised him not to disclose that he had attempted to stop Mason before the crash.
When Raleigh officers arrived, investigators allege that Macario was asked if he had tried to pull Mason over before the accident. Macario allegedly denied it and claimed he came upon the wreck and saw smoke and debris coming from the vehicle.
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WATCH | Dozens of Wake County court cases dismissed, 2 state troopers under investigation
