Nathan Straus
Jacksonville Daily Progress
JACKSONVILLE —
William Jared, a 39-year-old man originally from East Texas, will be returned to the area from North Carolina in the near future because he is wanted in connection with an intoxicated manslaughter charge dating to 2001.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department Cpt. John Raffield said Jared was located in North Carolina by the U.S. Marshals some time after July.
“He was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Farm-to-Market Road 347. He had two others in the vehicle,” Raffield said. “He lost control of the vehicle and wrecked.”
Raffield said Jared, in his 1994 Chevrolet pickup, ran off the road and flipped, ejecting a passenger, Richard Wilcox, at about 10:25 p.m.
Jared was taken into custody, Raffield said, and a drug test was performed.
Jared was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.109, well above the legal limit.
“On Feb. 11, 2001, Richard Wilcox died as a result of his injuries and Jared was indicted for intoxicated manslaughter,” Raffield said. “He had a trial date set and he fled town.”
He said over the years investigators in the county tried to locate him, but were unsuccessful.
In July the department was asked to try again and managed to find Jared through social networking Web sites after the warrants on Jared had been purged from the system.
Raffield said at first Jared was located in Florida, then he was found in North Carolina through his communications job.
He added new warrants were printed up and Jared was taken into custody.
Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell said Jared waived extradition.
“He will be returned to Cherokee County within a few days,” Campbell said, “probably less than a week.”
Campbell said he appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Marshals and agencies in other states in taking Jared into custody.
According to Raffield, five warrants were made for Jared’s arrest; Intoxicated manslaughter, a second degree felony, failure to appear and three felony level marijuana warrants.
He also said the intoxicated manslaughter charge, if Jared is convicted, will bring two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
