A New Bern man was indicted by an Onslow County Grand Jury this week on second-degree murder charges after he fled from a deputy back in December.
On Dec. 30, 2022, a deputy with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office DWI Unit attempted to stop a vehicle for speeding 77 mph in a 55-mph zone, according to a Thursday media release from OCSO.
The offender, later identified as Andrew Michael Frazier of Plymouth Drive in New Bern, fled from the deputy at speeds over 100 mph. He then ran the stop sign at the intersection of Ramsey Road and Kellum Loop Road where he struck a vehicle driven by Lonell Jones of Jacksonville.
The release said Jones was killed on impact and Frazier fled the scene on foot.
Law enforcement attempted to locate Frazier that evening, but he was not apprehended until the next day by members of the New Bern Police Department. At the time of the incident, the release said Frazier’s driver’s license was revoked for previous impaired driving offenses.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol conducted the crash investigation, and Frazier was charged with involuntary manslaughter and numerous other criminal violations. However, on Tuesday of this week, Frazier was indicted by an Onslow County Grand Jury for second-degree murder.
He is still being held at the Onslow County Detention Center under a $1 million bond.
“The facts of this case are tragic,” said Sheriff Chris Thomas in the release. “Had Mr. Frazier done the right thing and stopped for the deputy, Ms. Jones would still be here today. Running from law enforcement is dangerous to everyone on the road. Those who disregard our laws will be held accountable to the fullest extent possible. Our thoughts remain with Ms. Jones’s family.”
The Onslow County District Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting the case.
Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@jdnews.com.
