On July 10, Juan Manuel Camacho-Mendez, 37, of Robbins, pleaded guilty to felony death by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, driving while impaired, no operator’s license, reckless driving to endanger and driving after consuming with an open container of alcohol in the vehicle in Moore County Superior Court, announced Moore County District Attorney Mike Hardin.
Around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 20, the defendant, Juan Manuel Camacho-Mendez, was involved in a traffic collision on Spies Road, approximately one mile west of Robbins. The defendant was operating a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado and was traveling on Spies Road. The vehicle ran off the roadway on the right side and over-corrected, causing it to travel to the left of the center and off the roadway on the left side. After leaving the roadway, the vehicle collided with trees and traveled down an embankment, causing major damage to the truck, said Hardin.
Trooper Troy McDaniel with the N.C. State Highway Patrol was dispatched to the single-vehicle crash and, upon arrival, found emergency crews from Moore County EMS, Robbins Fire and Rescue, and High Falls Fire and Rescue on the scene.
First responders found three male occupants in the truck. The driver/defendant, Camacho-Mendez, was pinned in the driver’s seat. The passenger, Ismael Tapia Reyes, 37, of Robbins, was pinned in the passenger side of the truck. The third occupant, Orlando Hernandez Diaz, 35, of Robbins, was found partially ejected from the vehicle through the rear window of the truck cab, said Hardin.
First responders found no pulse on Diaz, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Efforts were then focused on extricating the other two passengers from the truck, which fire and rescue personnel were able to complete. Both Camacho-Mendez and Reyes suffered serious injuries from the crash, and EMS personnel transported both men to meet helicopters in the area, where both men were life-flighted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Both men recovered and were later released from the hospital.
First responders and Trooper McDaniel noticed a strong odor of alcoholic beverage in and around the vehicle and located open alcohol containers in the truck, said Hardin. In particular, Trooper McDaniel noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Camacho-Mendez and formed the opinion he may be appreciably impaired by alcohol, said Hardin. As a result, Trooper McDaniel requested an exigent blood draw from Camacho-Mendez as he was life-flighted out, and EMS personnel completed the blood draw before the flight. Trooper McDaniel immediately sent the blood from Camacho-Mendez to the N.C. State Crime Lab for analysis, and the lab determined Camacho-Mendez’s blood alcohol level at the time of the crash was 0.28 grams of alcohol per 210 milliliters of whole blood, said Hardin.
Trooper McDaniel completed an extensive investigation of the crash. He was assisted by Troopers Jason Melton and Josh Haywood from the N.C. State Highway Patrol’s Crash Reconstruction Unit.
Camacho-Mendez was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Gail Adams and given an active prison sentence of 51-74 months in the Department of Adult Corrections. He had no prior convictions. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Brian Chapman.
To read Sandhills Sentinel’s article on the wreck, please click on below link/picture:
