Family, friends in shock after NC linemen killed by drunken driver in Florida

Police say a driver under the influence hit and killed the men Wednesday night while they were repairing damaged power lines.

George Cesil, 52, was from Colerain in Bertie County. Ryan Barrett, 22, was from Roanoke Rapids.

Both men worked for Lee Electric Construction, Inc., based in Aberdeen.

After two weeks in Florida, Cesil was longing to get back to his home by the Chowan River, his brother-in-law Mark Stewart said.

“He loved this place that he picked out here on the river,” said Stewart, who lives in Raleigh.

Cesil was nothing if not a family man and a man of faith, he said.

“He loved God; he was a Christian man,” Stewart said. “He loved his family, his wife, his two children.”

Cesil had been a lineman for Lee Electrical since 2012, often responding to disasters out of state. His employer called him "exceptional."

Stewart said Cesil was “a hard worker, a very talented man.”

A star football player in high school, Cesil was very much a product of Down East North Carolina, Stewart said.

“He loved the outdoors,” Stewart said. “He loved fishing, the outdoors, and he was looking forward to spending a lot of time out here on the river.”

Barrett attended Roanoke Rapids High School, and former teachers on Thursday were having a hard time processing the news of his death.

Margarita Nelson said she glanced at the headline about three linemen being killed by a drunken driver in Florida before she headed out the door Thursday morning.

"I just said a quick prayer for the three linemen and just went on about my day," she said.

It wasn't until she was having lunch at work that she realized it was one of her former students who had been killed.

"There were no words to describe how I felt," said Nelson, who teaches Spanish at Roanoke Rapids High School.

Nelson said all of her students are like her own children and she remembers Barrett vividly.

"He was always very respectful, kind of a joker, but in a nice way. It was the kind of kid that you enjoyed having in class," she said.

Barrett had worked for Lee Electrical for five months and was described by the company as "quickly showing promise in our industry." The idea that he will not be able to continue his promising career is what Nelson said hurts the most.

"You're excited for them, because they've got their whole life ahead of them, and you're like 'Go see the world, make a place in the world for yourself, do something good in your life,' and then something like this happens too young," Nelson said.

Barrett's family members said in a statement that they will carry him in their hearts forever.

"Ryan wanted nothing more than to help others," the statement said. "In the days following Hurricane Florence he was ready to help restore power to those affected by the storm’s devastation. He never complained and was excited to do the same for those impacted by Hurricane Michael.

"We want to thank emergency services and the hospital workers who cared for Ryan. They grieved with us. They were the most amazing and loving people. Our hearts are grateful for their every effort."

State troopers say the driver, John Goedtke, was charged with driving under the influence, manslaughter and vehicular homicide.