First court hearing Monday for Harnett Co. deputy charged with involuntary manslaughter after chase, crash killed couple

A Harnett County deputy involved in a chase and crash that left two people dead had his first court hearing Monday morning.

WRAL News was told Deputy Kevin LeTarte did not appear in court, but his attorney was there on his behalf.

LeTarte's next court date set for the week of July 17.

On May 18, LeTarte was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and was indicted.

An order for arrest was issued for the 36-year-old deputy the morning of May 18, and he surrendered to authorities on May 19.

WRAL News spoke with LeTarte's attorney, Parrish Daughtry, who said he was indicted on these charges on May 15 by a grand jury. A judge pre-set a bond for him of $10,000 unsecured.

A second man – the man LeTarte was pursuing at the time of the crash – was also indicted.

Second man charged in crash that killed Minnesota couple in Harnett County

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said LeTarte was pursuing 47-year-old Jimmy White Jr, down Highway 210 near Spring Lake on the afternoon of March 3. What he was pursuing him for is not known.

White has been indicted on Felony aggravated flee and elude an arrest. His indictment reads that was a proximate cause of death for Brian and Patricia Finch.

"He is responsible for that whole chain of events," Meier said. "Even if he didn’t intend for it to happen, essentially he started everything that led to this," Meier said.

These indictments stem from an incident that happened on March 3 in Harnett County.

Community holds vigil in honor of couple killed in deadly crash with Harnett deputy

He has since recovered from his injuries. LeTarte turned himself in, according to his attorney Parrish Daughtry.

“It is a tragic accident. Deputy LeTarte is deeply saddened by the loss of life and is struggling, he has cooperated with the investigation," Daughtry said.

Brian and Patricia Finch were leaving Florida heading back to Minnesota, but made a pit stop in Harnett County to see friends.

"They never made it. They were five minutes away," said Tequila Tomlison, who was driving beside the Finches that day. "I actually remember looking at their face and they were laughing."

Tomlison says they actually looked like for a split second to make sure they could go through the intersection – but says LeTarte 'came out of nowhere.'

"He was going so fast," she said.

"It's the type of thing that shouldn't happen," said Chris Swecker, an attorney representing the Finch family, who are now taking steps towards a wrongful death lawsuit.

"They want to know exactly what happened, and they want justice today," Swecker said.

WRAL News has reached out to the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office for their response on their deputy being indicted, but they have no comment today.