A pair of North Carolina State Highway Patrol employees who were questioned in their handling of a fatal crash in Raleigh have been dismissed.
Sgt. Matthew Morrison and Trooper Garrett Macario were let go from their positions on June 16, according to the agency. The two were suspended in January after their credibility came into question following the crash.
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In May, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman determined the troopers would not be charged. Her decision came after a lengthy review of the events around the wreck that killed Tyrone Mason in October 2024. The crash happened in the early morning hours of Monday, Oct. 7.
Attorneys for Mason's family, in a statement obtained by WRAL News, said that while Macario and Morrison's dismissal was a step in the right direction, it is "only one step in a long journey to justice."
"Let's understand that Trooper Macario not only initiated the unsafe chase that led to Tyrone Mason's death, but that he also failed to render any aid, leaving an honest man to die on the side of the road and then tried to lie and cover it up," attorneys said. "Let's remember that the Raleigh Police Department participated in that lie, telling a grieving mother that there was no pursuit even though they allegedly knew the truth."
Body camera video from the incident shows that Macario made false statements to Raleigh police officers who arrived on scene.
Freeman said that the evidence presented in the case would not support a successful prosecution, though the troopers' behavior was not consistent with NCSHP standards. Charges were dropped in almost 200 cases in which either Macario or Morrison made an arrest.
The Raleigh Police Department told WRAL News they have cooperated with the District Attorney's office and other investigations related to the crash and chase, including joining the petition to release body camera footage of the crash.
"We are reviewing our crash investigation procedures, specifically, how we interact with families of victims," a spokesperson for the police department said, adding that the "misleading" information given to them contributed to a series of failures within the department.
"Transparency is important for trust with our community, and it is essential when families have lost a loved one."
Freeman told WRAL she sent her findings to the North Carolina Criminal Justice Training and Standards Division, the organization that ultimately rules whether a law enforcement officer can keep his or her license.
Freeman sent WRAL News the following statement on the troopers' dismissals:
In dismissing Trooper Macario and Sgt Morrison from the agency, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol has taken an important step in rebuilding trust with the community. The reputation of the State Highway Patrol for truth and integrity can only be preserved when dishonesty by law enforcement is not tolerated. I am grateful for the many members of the Patrol and its leadership which work daily with honor to protect all of us.Lorrin Freeman, Wake County District Attorney
WRAL News reached out to both Morrison and Macario. Both men declined to comment and referred WRAL News to their attorneys. Macario's attorney, Jack O'Hale, said he was not taking questions.