Bond reduced for Kure Beach man accused of hit & run deaths

GARNER, NC (WWAY) — The charges and bond have been reduced for a Kure Beach man accused of a hit and run on I-40 last night that killed two Good Samaritans.

Marshall H. Doran, 21, was originally held under $5 million bond for charges including two counts of second degree murder. Today the charges were reduced to two counts of felony death by motor vehicle after a clerical error on the original charges. Doran’s bond was also reduced to $500,000.

Highway Patrol says around 8 p.m. Cardell Gayfield of Clayton was driving a bobtail tractor with no trailer west on I-40 when he spun out of control and came to a stop perpendicular to the road. Gayfield placed reflectors in the road, then tried to move his truck out of the lane of traffic.

Larry Kepley, 39, of Winston-Salem, was driving a tractor-trailer west on I-40 when he saw Gayfield and stopped to help. Nathaniel Williams, 34, a member of the US Navy, and another driver swerved to the right of Gayfield’s truck to avoid a collision, troopers say, sending both cars down an embankment. Williams walked back up the embankment to help.

Highway Patrol says as Kepler and Williams were standing behind the bobtail tractor, Doran hit them, then drove off. Kepley died at the scene, while Williams later died at a hospital.

“It’s just a terrible, terrible tragedy,” Gov. Pat McCrory said today during a news conference on the winter storm. “Two people who are just trying to help lose their lives, and I just want to let their families know how sad we are but how much we appreciate them trying to help people in need.”

According to a news release, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office and Raleigh Police Department quickly set up a perimeter, and a Highway Patrol helicopter came in to help search for Doran. He surrendered to a deputy who found Doran hiding in some woods.

Highway Patrol believes Doran, a college student, was driving under the influence and had drugs in his possession when the crash happened.

“Thought about the commercial that talks about you go and you fight in a war and come back and you’re killed on American soil by a drunk driver, and that was a flash,” said Mildred Hawthorne, a friend of Williams. “This is kind of what happened. He’s helping someone else.”