Driver turns himself in after causing fatal wreck in south Charlotte: CMPD

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — A man has turned himself in for running a red light causing a crash and hitting a pedestrian who was killed, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19, officers responded to a crash involving three vehicles and a pedestrian at the intersection of Pineville-Matthews Road and Providence Road. When they arrived, they saw a 2022 Dodge Ram pickup with heavy damage on the driver’s side, a 2016 GMC Yukon SUV with heavy damage on its front end, a 2018 Volkswagen with minor damage to the rear bumper, and a man lying in the roadway near the Ram.

The man, 41-year-old Eric Macken, was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries where he was pronounced dead on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

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Investigators say the Yukon was turning from Pineville-Matthews Road onto northbound Providence Road when the Dodge Ram failed to stop at a red light. The two vehicles collided which caused the Dodge Ram to spin and hit the Volkswagen and Macken, who was crossing the road in a marked crosswalk, police said.

The driver of the Ram, 44-year-old Scott Austin, turned himself in on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. He was booked around 9:10 a.m. with a $75,000 bond.

Officials don’t believe speed or impairment are factors in the collision, but it is still an active investigation. Anyone with information or who witnessed the crash should call Detective Worthy at 704-432-2169, Ext. 4, or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

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