Two men who were assisting a car that had traveled off the road into a ditch were hit by another car which killed both of them.

  This event occurred Sunday afternoon on I-87 near Knightdale and the two casualties include Gregory Harman and Roger McMurray. Around 12:30 p.m, 53-year-old Gregory Harman and 45-year-old Roger McMurray both pulled over their cars onto the shoulder and immediately got out of their vehicles to help a black SUV that had veered off the highway into a ditch. 

  46-year-old Erik Rivas then lost control of his car on the highway and hit the two men, while also crashing into the wood line. Both men were assisted by first responders and it was confirmed that both of them didn’t have a pulse on site. Rivas is now facing five charges, including two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle, exceeding a safe speed given the weather conditions, not wearing a seatbelt, and not having a driver’s license.

  One of the victims, Dr. McMurray, was a doctor at Physicians East in Greenville. On their site, the practice posted a statement regarding Dr. McMurray’s passing, which reads, “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Dr. Roger J. McMurray. He passed away on December 17, 2023. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family during this challenging period. In the following weeks, we will be contacting all of Dr. McMurray’s patients to assist in rescheduling their appointments.”

  The death of the two local Samaritans is very saddening, especially considering their noble intentions in trying to assist another driver. Around this time of year when North Carolina experiences treacherous weather conditions, troopers are encouraging drivers to limit stopping on the shoulder and helping other drivers in distress to ensure their own safety and avoid possibly creating more unfortunate situations. So, to all the veteran drivers and Millbrook students that just got their license laminated, stay safe out there and eyes directly on the road.