Police: Driver charged with DWI, murder after passenger dies from injuries in Gastonia crash

GASTONIA, N.C. — A driver was charged with DWI and murder for a crash in Gastonia that killed a passenger in the car early Wednesday morning, police said.

Officers responded to the crash at around 2 a.m. on South Clay Street and West Third Avenue, where they found a car that had struck a telephone pole and tree.

The driver, later identified as Onkevious Thomas, 29, was taken to a hospital for minor injuries. Police determined Thomas was driving while intoxicated.

While authorities were investigating the crash, they learned a passenger walked away from the scene before police got there. They tried looking for him but were unable to find the passenger.

Several hours later, officers were told a 31-year-old man was being taken to a hospital by paramedics after he had a medical emergency at a Gastonia home. Officials said the man, later identified as Travis Sharpe, died in the ambulance on the way to a hospital.

Investigators determined that Sharpe was the passenger who walked away from the crash. Authorities said he died from his injuries related to the crash.

Thomas was charged with second-degree murder after Sharpe’s death.

No other details have been released at this point.

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