Grand jury indicts two charged in death of scooter rider

Sunday, January 11, 2009 3:09 AM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Shavonne Potts

spotts@salisburypost.com

A Rowan County grand jury has indicted two of six people charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2006 death of a motorized scooter rider.

Brandon Heathcliff Lowery, 23, of 165 Johnson Dairy Road, Rockwell, and Alstin Lee Vanderford, 21, of 418 Gold Hill Ave., Rockwell, were each indicted July 7 on a charge of felony aiding and abetting felonious hit and run/failure to remain at the scene.

The two, along with Patsy Elizabeth Morgan, 21, Rachel Ann Miller, 21, Derek Ryan Talbert, 23, and Eric Gregory Taylor, 21, are charged in the death of 27-year-old Michael Jason Brown in eastern Rowan County in May 2006.

The six are also charged with fleeing the scene of an accident.

The Rowan County Sheriff's Office served Lowery and Vanderford with orders for arrest that were issued Tuesday. Lowery and Vanderford were each given a $5,000 bond, which was continued under their current bond. All six were given an initial $5,000 bond when charged in 2007.

Brown was initially thought to have wrecked his scooter accidentally. A report from the N.C. Highway Patrol confirmed his scooter crossed the center line and overturned. His body was exhumed in January 2007 after new information prompted authorities to reopen the case.

The teens turned themselves in to authorities in early February 2007.

Lowery and Vanderford are expected to appear in court during the next term of Superior Court.