ASHEVILLE, NC – Authorities have charged the driver in a fatal single-vehicle crash that left two dead and three injured in Asheville, North Carolina. The driver, 18-year-old William Tyson Neumann of Augusta, Georgia, now faces two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and one count of reckless driving.
The accident happened close to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, along Interstate 40. According to patrol troopers, Neumann was operating a 2015 Volvo when he attempted to exit onto US Highway 74 and Interstate 240 at a high speed. After losing control of the vehicle, he veered off the left side of the road and collided with a tree.
In a tragic turn of events, Sophie Gordon, a 16-year-old junior from Myers Park High School, was pronounced dead in the aftermath of the accident. Robert Fox, a 19-year-old rear passenger from Wilmette, Illinois, also lost his life in the incident.
The remaining passengers, identified as 18-year-old Hunter Sanford of Pineville, NC, 18-year-old Isabella Tarantelli of Charlotte, NC, and 17-year-old Aby Robinson of Charlotte, NC, all suffered injuries in the crash.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the NC State Highway Patrol indicate high speed as a contributing factor to the accident.
On Monday, April 8, Neumann was booked into the Buncombe County jail. A bond worth $25,000 has been set for Neumann, who is expected in court next on May 7.