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Man sentenced after hitting pedestrian, then moving body, investigators say

By Stephanie Moore

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    HENDERSON COUNTY, North Carolina (WYFF) — A Henderson County, North Carolina, man is headed to prison after he kept driving after hitting a pedestrian who landed on the hood of his truck.

On Jan. 27, 2025, Jason Ryan Blackwell, 47, pleaded guilty to the charge of voluntary manslaughter, Andrew Murray, District Attorney for Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania counties said.

According to the investigation, on Oct. 30, 2023, Blackwell was driving a large pickup truck and hit a pedestrian while traveling off the road and onto the grass on the side of U.S. 176 in Flat Rock, North Carolina.

The investigation revealed that the impact caused the victim to fly up onto the hood of the truck.

After impact, Blackwell drove back onto the roadway, where the victim fell off the truck, according to investigators.

They said the injuries to the victim were extensive, with significant trauma to the torso and head. Blackwell then stopped his vehicle.

Investigators said the trooper who responded to the scene believes Blackwell pulled the victim from the road onto the grass by the roadside and then left.

Law enforcement searched for the defendant for several hours.

When they found and arrested Blackwell, he made statements indicating that he had hit someone, according to investigators.

Based on his slurred speech, erratic behavior, and extreme drowsiness, law enforcement formed the opinion that he was impaired at the time of his arrest.

The blood work from the laboratory analysis showed the presence of Alprazolam (Xanax) and Tetrahydrocannabinol, otherwise known as THC (Marijuana).

A judge sentenced the defendant to a minimum term of 100 months and a maximum term of 132 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

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