DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. —
Byron Hyde, 27, was arrested on Tuesday after failing to appear for a court hearing regarding a second-degree murder charge stemming from a June 2023 motorcycle crash.
Authorities said Hyde was expected in court for a jury trial when an order for his arrest was issued. The arrest warrant was served later that afternoon at a residence in Lexington.
Hyde previously faced additional charges of driving while impaired and felony death by vehicle, according to court records. The charges arose from a collision on Linwood-Southmont Road where Hyde’s pickup truck struck 17-year-old motorcyclist Austin Gaither head-on while attempting to pass another vehicle.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed that Gaither died as a result of the incident. Hyde is currently being held in Davidson County jail with a secured bond set at $1,000,000.
The family of Gaither expressed their grief over the loss, stating their heartbreak over his untimely death and the potential life he was denied.