TEGA CAY, SC – A Fort Mill man has been charged with DUI following a motorcycle crash that resulted in the deaths of two individuals over the weekend, according to Tega Cay Police.
Vernell Laurthel Hayes, 45, faces two counts of felony DUI resulting in death after the incident occurred on S.C. 160 at Tillberg Way. Police Chief Joey Crosby confirmed the charges based on arrest warrants obtained by local news outlets.
Gabriel Williams, 26, of Fort Mill, was pronounced dead at the scene, while motorcycle passenger Aeryn Sutherland, 31, of Charlotte, later died at a Rock Hill hospital, as reported by York County Coroner Sabrina Gast.
Preliminary investigations revealed Hayes failed to yield the right of way while making a turn. He reportedly admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash and registered a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .13, exceeding the legal limit of .08 in South Carolina.
Hayes is currently being held at the York County Jail without bail, according to sheriff’s office records. Further details regarding the crash are yet to be disclosed, and the investigation remains ongoing.