Grand jury indicts truck driver for crash that killed CMPD officer

CHARLOTTE — A grand jury indicted a truck driver for the crash that killed Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Mia Goodwin.

Daniel Morgan was charged in December and was out of jail on bond. On Monday, his attorney appeared in court on his behalf.

The attorney told Channel 9 that his client’s case will move to superior court -- a formality when dealing with felony crimes.

A grand jury indicted Morgan on the following crimes:

• Involuntary manslaughter
• Three counts of misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon
• Reckless driving
• Misdemeanor death by motor vehicle
• Felony failure to move over for stopped emergency vehicles
• Fictitious tag

0 of 9

A spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office said the three counts of misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon and one count of reckless driving are new charges that have been added to the case.

Court documents show Morgan, 50, was speeding on Interstate 85 near W.T. Harris Boulevard on the morning of Dec. 22. Police had blocked off part of I-85 as troopers investigated a crash from the night before.

Investigators said Morgan didn’t slow down or move over and his tractor-trailer collided with another and then crashed into Goodwin and three other CMPD officers.

The impact killed Goodwin, a mother of three who had recently returned to the job from maternity leave.

Three other officers were hurt but survived.

Court documents allege Morgan tried to walk away from the scene and remove a tracking device from the truck to hinder the investigation.

Morgan is also accused of placing a fake tag on the trailer.

Morgan’s next district court date is set for Jan. 24, but that won’t happen once the case is moved to superior court.

(WATCH BELOW: ‘You can rest easy now’: CMPD officer killed in I-85 crash laid to rest)

‘You can rest easy now’: CMPD officer killed in I-85 crash laid to rest

©2022 Cox Media Group