Winston-Salem,NC : Winston-Salem man convicted of murder in crash that killed motorcyclist on November, Tuesday 7th 2017

A Winston-Salem man was convicted of murder in connection with a fatal crash last year in which prosecutors said he was driving while high on drugs.

William Forrest Duncan, 33, of the 600 block of Spring Street, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, felony death by motor vehicle, driving while license revoked, driving left of center and reckless driving.

Forsyth County prosecutors say Duncan drove his car head-on into a motorcycle driven by Jeffrey Howard Ozburn, 50. Ozburn died at the scene of the crash, which occurred just before 1 a.m. Aug. 5, 2016.

Judge David Hall of Forsyth Superior Court consolidated all the charges, except the felony death by motor vehicle charge, and sentenced Duncan to a total of 12 years to 15 years and five months in prison.

By law, Hall could not sentence Duncan on the felony death by motor vehicle charge because it forms the factual basis for the second-degree murder charge.

Duncan was also charged with driving while impaired, but that charge was voluntarily dismissed as part of the plea arrangement.

Assistant District Attorney Aaron Berlin said Ozburn had just left from spending time with his son, Jeffrey Blaine Ozburn. Jeffrey Howard Ozburn got onto his motorcycle and rode down U.S. 158.

Duncan was driving west on U.S. 158. Berlin said a driver behind Duncan told a trooper with the N.C. Highway Patrol that Duncan was weaving in and out of traffic.

Duncan, who was driving a Toyota Corolla, drifted into Ozburn’s lane and crashed head-on into Ozburn’s motorcycle. Berlin said Duncan crossed so far into Ozburn’s lane that the passenger side of Duncan’s car struck the motorcycle.

Ozburn died almost immediately from his injuries. An autopsy showed that he died from blunt force trauma.

Duncan initially told troopers that the woman who was in the front passenger seat was the one who was driving.

He finally told the truth, Berlin said, when troopers informed him that the woman was telling them that Duncan was the driver.

Berlin said that troopers took Duncan through a drug-evaluation process, which included taking a sample of his blood. Duncan had Xanax and morphine in his system, which can be an indication of heroin use, Berlin said.

Duncan admitted at the scene to taking two Xanax pills and there was a blue residue on his tongue, Berlin said.

Duncan later told authorities that he had taken six Xanax pills and then eight Xanax pills, Berlin said.

Julie Boyer, Duncan’s attorney, said Duncan’s drug addiction started in 2011, when he was in a car accident and broke his femur. His doctor prescribed Duncan opioid pain medication and that eventually led to heroin addiction, she said.

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Winston-Salem man convicted of murder in crash that killed motorcyclist