East Wake Student Charged In Fatal Crash

On December 10, a student at East Wake High School was charged with involuntary manslaughter after a high-speed crash on December 7 in which a classmate who was his passenger suffered fatal personal injuries.

On the afternoon of December 10, 17-year-old Wendell resident Austin Wade Marx surrendered to authorities. His first court appearance has been scheduled for December 11.

On the day of the crash, Marx was driving a 1996 Chevrolet Camaro on Puryear Road in Knightdale when he lost control of the vehicle, which ran off the road and overturned, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

A passenger in the vehicle, 16-year-old Boyd Westover, received transport to WakeMed, where he died the following morning due to the injuries he suffered in the crash.

Marx received treatment at WakeMed and was released on the night of the crash. His arrest photo shows him with several scrapes to the right side of his face.

The two students were on their way to have lunch off campus when the crash occurred, according to authorities.

Witnesses say the Camaro was traveling at an estimated speed of 90 mph. Investigators said the evidence at the scene supported those reports.