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From the office of Thomas D. Anglim, District Attorney:

WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA – On March 3, 2025, Superior Court Judge Cynthia K. Sturges sentenced CHON BODIE OWENS, 2310 Pine Burr Road, Kernersville, NC, to a minimum of 80 months and a maximum of 118 months in the North Carolina Department of Correction. Owens pled guilty to Felony Hit & Run Resulting in Death and Felony Death By Vehicle. Judge Sturges imposed consecutive sentences. The sentence for Felony Death By Vehicle was a minimum of 64 and a maximum of 89 months. The sentence for Felony Hit & Run was a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 29 months.

According to the indictments and the evidence presented in court, on May 11, 2023, at approx. 9:20 PM, the Defendant, Chon Bodie Owens, failed to yield to oncoming traffic near the US 17 Bypass in Washington, NC. The Defendant driving an F150 failed to yield while making a left hand turn and crashed into 24 year old Hunter Lancaster who was riding a motorcycle. Owens failure to yield caused severe life threatening injuries. The Defendant initially stopped at the scene, exited his vehicle and witnesses on scene began yelling as the Defendant returned to his truck and began to drive away from the scene. An Officer with the Washington Police Department stopped the Defendant nearby on the US 17 on ramp. EMS arrived. Hunter Lancaster died while on scene in the ambulance. The Defendant when asked why he hit and ran stated “a little bit of panic” as to why he left the scene. The Defendant had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath even though he denied drinking. The Defendant also had a red face, red glassy eyes, slow stuttered staggered speech, was stumbling, and had cold beer in the vehicle. A portable breath test revealed a positive result. Following Owens’ refusal to give a breath sample, a search warrant was sought and granted by the magistrate for a blood sample. The analysis from the State Crime Lab revealed the Defendant’s blood alcohol level was .14 grams of alcohol. Assistant District Attorney Shannon Jarvis prosecuted OWENS for the State of North Carolina.

District Attorney Anglim believes that no amount of prison time can ever equate to justice for the family of Hunter Lancaster. Crimes such as these traumatize and shatter the lives of those that loved Hunter. Anglim hopes that conviction and sentencing of OWENS serves as a reminder of the seriousness of driving while under the influence of any impairing substance.

The Lancaster Family and Anglim would like to thank the efforts of the many officers of the Washington Police Department, the first responders that respondedto the scene and the reconstruction unit for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol prosecution of this matter. Their tireless efforts all contributed to the successful prosecution of OWENS.