IFN Staff

After being found guilty by a jury of six felony charges related to a deadly crash near Statesville, Austin Ray Harmon was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison on Monday afternoon.

Calling it an “extremely difficult” decision, Judge Thomas Lock ordered Harmon, 26, to serve 240 to 353 months in the custody of the N.C. Department of Adult Correction after considering state sentencing guidelines, evidence of aggravating and mitigating factors, and victim impact statements.

The jury of seven men and five women returned their unanimous guilty verdicts in Iredell County Superior Court around 2:45 p.m. Monday. Harmon was convicted of three counts of felony death by motor vehicle, three counts of felony serious injury by motor vehicle and misdemeanor DWI. He was found not guilty of misdemeanor reckless driving.

The charges against Harmon stem from a June 13, 2022, crash on Fort Dobbs Road. Harmon was legally impaired when his Honda Accord crossed the centerline about 9:30 p.m. and collided with a golf cart occupied by six people, according to trial testimony.

Michael Marlowe, who was driving the golf cart, was fatally injured, along with his 5-year-old son Bentley and 13-year-old daughter Jada. Marlowe’s fiancée” Amy Mills, the couple’s 2-year-old daughter Bailey, and 16-year-old Teagan Murphy were all seriously injured.

Assistant District Attorney Mikko Red Arrow argued that Harmon’s impairment — he had a blood alcohol concentration 0.12 — was a proximate cause of the crash. The defense team of Kaleigh Darty and Ken Darty claimed that the golf cart pulled in front of Harmon and that he crossed the centerline to avoid a collision. Witness testimony also revealed that Michael Marlowe had consumed alcohol in the hours before the crash and was illegally operating the golf cart on a state road without required safety equipment.

After hearing testimony over seven days and closing arguments, the jury’s verdict came at the conclusion of about six hours of deliberations over two days.

Prior to sentencing, the defense team conceded that there were two aggravating factors – that two of the victims were young children and two had sustained permanent and debilitating injuries. They also asked the judge to consider that he had no prior felony convictions, a supportive family and a stable employment history.

Harmon did not address the court prior to sentencing, but Kaleigh Darty told the judge that her client was remorseful. When she met with Harmon after his arrest, “he was inconsolable” and expressed his concern for all of the occupants of the golf cart, she told the judge.

“He would do anything to go back and undo the events of that day,” she said. “He understands the gravity of what was lost to the Marlowe family.”

The prosecutor did not argue for a specific sentence.

“All of our actions have consequences,” Red Arrow said. “There has to be a consequence. A father is gone. A 5-year-old boy is gone. A 13-year-olkd teenager is gone.”

In addition to the attorneys’ arguments, Judge Lock took into account the impact that the deadly crash had on the victims’ families after several relatives addressed the court.

Neaveah Jones, who is the sister of Jada, Bentley and Bailey, told the judge that she will be forced to live without her father and two of her siblings. Jada, she said, was “her best friend,” and Bentley was “the sweetest little soul.”

Teagan Murphy told the judge that she shared a special relationship with Jada. “We knew each other’s secrets, inside jokes and plans for the future. … I carry guilt from still being alive while she’s not.”

Savannah Boltz, Jada’s mother, told the judge that her daughter loved freely and was a forgiving person by nature. Boltz said she would not let hatred for Harmon define her own life, and she realized that peace could come from forgiveness.

“To Austin, I say this: Be good. If you cannot be good for yourself, be good for Jada.”

She asked the judge to impose a sentence that was just and based on accountability “and not vengeance.”

Amy Mills described Bentley and Michael as “perfect” and her loss as permanent and profound. “They were light in a horrible world,” she said.

Ed Marlowe, Michael’s father, told the judge he hoped Harmon finds remorse in prison.

“He’s ruined all of our lives forever,” he said.