Statesville, North Carolina – A North Carolina jury has convicted a 26-year-old man for a drunk-driving crash that killed a father and two of his children, after harrowing courtroom testimony revealed how a mother was forced to throw her 2-year-old daughter from a golf cart moments before impact in a desperate attempt to save her life.
Deadly crash on Fort Dobbs Road
The case stems from a June 2022 crash on Fort Dobbs Road in Statesville, where Austin Harmon, driving while impaired, crossed the center line and slammed into a golf cart carrying a family and friends. Prosecutors said Harmon’s blood alcohol level was 0.12, well above the legal limit.
The collision killed Michael Marlowe and his children Bentley Marlowe (5) and Jada Marlowe (13). Jada initially survived the impact but later died from her injuries at the hospital.
“I seen a baby laying in the road”
First responders described a scene of chaos and devastation.
“I seen a baby laying in the road,” testified Todd Lendernan, chief of the Iredell County Rescue Squad. “I seen one face down that was deceased. I seen another with people working on it, and I seen the mother and they’re yelling, ‘Please get me more tourniquets!’”
Several victims suffered catastrophic injuries, overwhelming emergency crews who rushed to the rural roadway.
Mother’s split-second decision
Amy Mills, Michael Marlowe’s fiancée, told jurors she knew the crash was unavoidable.
“I knew we were going to get hit,” Mills testified.
Holding her 2-year-old daughter, Bailey, Mills made a split-second decision that likely saved the child’s life.
“She was so little,” Mills said through tears. “So, I just threw her. I just threw her and hoped for the best.”
Bailey survived but suffered a broken jaw and two broken legs. Mills herself endured devastating injuries, including the amputation of part of one leg.
Survivors live with lasting trauma
A family friend, Teagan Murphy (16), also survived the crash. Murphy, who was close friends with Jada Marlowe, addressed the court prior to sentencing.
She told the judge she carries constant guilt “from still being alive while she’s not,” according to local court reporting.
Mills described the panic she felt after the impact, desperately searching for her youngest child.
“I kept saying, ‘I have to find my kid. I needed my kid,’” she testified. Rescuers later brought Bailey to her side.
Family speaks out at sentencing
During sentencing, Ed Marlowe, Michael’s father, delivered an emotional statement condemning Harmon’s actions.
“He’s ruined all of our lives forever,” Marlowe told the court, urging Harmon to find genuine remorse while serving his sentence.
Prosecutors emphasized that the crash was entirely preventable and the direct result of impaired driving.
Jury verdict and prison sentence
Jurors deliberated for approximately six hours before finding Harmon guilty of driving while impaired and felony serious injury by a motor vehicle.
The judge sentenced Harmon to 20 to 30 years in prison, reflecting the severity of the loss and the number of victims affected.
Harmon declined to speak during sentencing. His attorney, Kaleigh Darty, addressed the court on his behalf.
“He would do anything to go back and undo the events of that day,” Darty said, adding that Harmon was “inconsolable” and understood “the gravity of what was lost to the Marlowe family.”
A stark reminder about drunk driving
The case has reignited conversations in the community about the dangers of impaired driving, especially on rural roads where golf carts and slow-moving vehicles are sometimes used.
Families of the victims hope the sentence sends a message about accountability and the irreversible consequences of driving under the influence.
The Marlowe family continues to mourn three lives lost while supporting survivors who now face lifelong physical and emotional recovery.
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