Latest news with #RosmanHighSchool
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
North Carolina substitute teacher charged in ATV crash that killed 2 high school football players
A North Carolina substitute teacher has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths of two teenage boys who died in an ATV crash last year, authorities announced. Ashley Marie Darity, 34, was arrested on Feb. 13 and charged with two counts of felony involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 25, 2024, ATV accident that killed Layne Jones and Jayden Reynaldo, the Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) division of North Carolina Department of Public Safety's said. Jones and Reynaldo were both student football players at Rosman High School in Transylvania County, located about 40 miles southwest of Asheville. The teens were driving an ATV on Old Wagon Road in Transylvania County around 1 a.m. on Aug. 25 when they went off the road, hit a tree and were ejected from the vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the scene, The Asheville Citizen-Times reported. The ALE said Tuesday that speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash. Darity was arrested by ALE special agents. Officials did not disclose details of her relationship to the students nor what led to the charges. Darity was a substitute teacher at Transylvania County Schools District, which includes Rosman, from October 2021 to December 2023, district spokesperson Tessa Brown said. She was released from custody after posting $20,000 bond, according to online court filings. An attorney for her did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Two other people were arrested in the investigation into the crash as well: Brandon Kaine Rathbone, 47, and Patricia Faye Whitehead, 33, both of Balsam Grove. It's not immediately clear if the two have retained lawyers. They were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting a person less than 21 years of age in the possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages. The NCDPS said these arrests were "based on a previous incident discovered during this investigation that occurred at the same residence." A warrant for arrest for Rathbone said the date of offense unfolded June 10, 2023. The warrant alleged he purchased a keg and hosted an underage house party. He and Whitehead allegedly held a female juvenile up to do a keg stand to consume the alcohol. Whitehead's warrant further alleged she purchased Twisted Tea for a person under the age of 21 in February 2023. The investigation into the crash is ongoing. The district said in a press release on Aug. 25 that two Rosman students died in an accident, calling the deaths 'an unimaginable loss.' Rosman High School also shared photos of the two athletes in their football uniforms writing: 'Layne and Jayden have left an imprint on our hearts. We grieve together.' 🐅Once a Tiger, Always a Tiger🐅 Thank you for the outpouring of love and prayers to our students, families, staff, and community. Layne and Jayden have left an imprint on our hearts. We grieve together. 💔 Posted by Rosman High School on Sunday, August 25, 2024 This article was originally published on
NBC News
25-02-2025
- NBC News
North Carolina substitute teacher charged in ATV crash that killed 2 high school football players
A North Carolina substitute teacher has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the deaths of two teenage boys who died in an ATV crash last year, authorities announced. Ashley Marie Darity, 34, was arrested on Feb. 13 and charged with two counts of felony involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 25, 2024, ATV accident that killed Layne Jones and Jayden Reynaldo, the Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) division of North Carolina Department of Public Safety's said. Jones and Reynaldo were both student football players at Rosman High School in Transylvania County, located about 40 miles southwest of Asheville. The teens were driving an ATV on Old Wagon Road in Transylvania County around 1 a.m. on Aug. 25 when they went off the road, hit a tree and were ejected from the vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the scene, The Asheville Citizen-Times reported. The ALE said Tuesday that speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in the crash. Darity was arrested by ALE special agents. Officials did not disclose details of her relationship to the students nor what led to the charges. Darity was a substitute teacher at Transylvania County Schools District, which includes Rosman, from October 2021 to December 2023, district spokesperson Tessa Brown said. She was released from custody after posting $20,000 bond, according to online court filings. An attorney for her did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Two other people were arrested in the investigation into the crash as well: Brandon Kaine Rathbone, 47, and Patricia Faye Whitehead, 33, both of Balsam Grove. It's not immediately clear if the two have retained lawyers. They were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting a person less than 21 years of age in the possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages. The NCDPS said these arrests were "based on a previous incident discovered during this investigation that occurred at the same residence." A warrant for arrest for Rathbone said the date of offense unfolded June 10, 2023. The warrant alleged he purchased a keg and hosted an underage house party. He and Whitehead allegedly held a female juvenile up to do a keg stand to consume the alcohol. Whitehead's warrant further alleged she purchased Twisted Tea for a person under the age of 21 in February 2023. The investigation into the crash is ongoing. The district said in a press release on Aug. 25 that two Rosman students died in an accident, calling the deaths 'an unimaginable loss.' Rosman High School also shared photos of the two athletes in their football uniforms writing: 'Layne and Jayden have left an imprint on our hearts. We grieve together.'
USA Today
25-02-2025
- USA Today
Woman charged in teens' drunk-driving deaths was a substitute teacher at their district
Woman charged in teens' drunk-driving deaths was a substitute teacher at their district Ashley Marie Darity is charged in the deaths of Layne Jones and Jayden Reynald, two teenage North Carolina boys killed in an ATV crash last August. Her attorney says there's more to the story. A North Carolina woman charged in an ATV crash that killed two teenage boys previously worked as a substitute teacher at the victims' school district, a district spokeswoman said Monday. Ashley Marie Darity, 34, was arrested on Feb. 13 on two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Transylvania County teenagers Layne Jones and Jayden Reynald, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The boys were driving a 2015 Polaris Sportsman on Aug. 25, when they ran off the road and hit a tree while navigating a curve. Though state highway patrol initially cited excessive speed as the cause of the crash, investigators now say that alcohol is factor. Layne and Jayden were both students and football players at Rosman High School, part of the Transylvania County Schools District. Darity was previously employed as a substitute teacher at the boys' school district between October 2021 and December 2023, Transylvania County Schools spokesperson Tessa Brown confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday. The Rosman resident is accused of providing the teens with alcohol, the Transylvania Times reported. Court records show her bail was set at $20,000. "We welcome the opportunity to tell the whole story," Darity's attorney, Sean Devereux, told USA TODAY over the phone on Monday. Devereux said he could not comment further on the case. Two others also arrested in hosting underage drinking party North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement officers have also arrested Balsam Grove residents Brandon Kaine Rathbone, 47, and Patricia Faye Whitehead, 33. Both are charged with aiding and abetting the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages to a person under 21. Their bail was set for $500. They were arrested in connection with the investigation into the crash but authorities haven't provided more specifics. Rathbone's date of offense is listed as June 10, 2023 and Whitehead's as Feb. 14, 2023, both over a year before the crash. An arrest warrant for Rathbone says that the two hosted an underage house party where they allegedly provided a 15-year-old with a malt beverage. They also "held the juvenile up to assist (them) in doing a keg stand," a drinking game where someone does a headstand while consuming alcohol. USA TODAY was working to find the attorneys representing Rathbone and Whitehead. Community reels from 'unimaginable loss' In an Aug. 25 statement, Superintendent Lisa Fletcher called the crash a "devastating accident" that struck the community with an "unimaginable loss." "The loss of such young, vibrant lives is a stark reminder of how precious life is and how deeply we are all connected," Fletcher wrote. Following the tragedy the Rosman High School community held an "orange out" at an Aug. 30 home football game against North Henderson, where fans wore orange to show unity and support, according to the Hendersonville Times-News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contributing: Saleen Martin
USA Today
18-02-2025
- USA Today
3 arrested in North Carolina ATV crash that killed 2 high school football players
3 arrested in North Carolina ATV crash that killed 2 high school football players Officials now say that alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, and are accusing adults of providing alcohol to minors. Authorities initially said alcohol wasn't a factor. Three people have been arrested in connection with a North Carolina ATV crash that killed two teenage boys. High school football players Layne Jones and Jayden Reynaldo both died in a four-wheeler crash in Transylvania County on Aug. 25. The teens were driving a 2015 Polaris Sportsman when they ran off the road and hit a tree while navigating a curve. Alcohol is now believed to be a factor in the ATV crash, North Carolina Department of Public Safety spokesperson William Happoldt told USA TODAY. Ashley Marie Darity of Rosman was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of felony involuntary manslaughter in connection to the crash, according to Happoldt. Her bail was set at $20,000, and her disposition hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24, court records show. Darity, 34, is accused of providing the teens with alcohol, though state highway patrol initially said no alcohol was involved and cited excessive speed as the cause of the crash, according to the Transylvania Times. Darity's attorney, Matthew Schofield, declined to comment on behalf of his client on Monday. Two others also arrested in hosting underage drinking party North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement officers have also arrested Balsam Grove residents Brandon Kaine Rathbone, 47, and Patricia Faye Whitehead, 33. Both are charged with aiding and abetting the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages to a person under 21. Their bail was set for $500. An arrest warrant for Rathbone states the two hosted an underage house party where they allegedly provided a 15-year-old with a malt beverage. They also "held the juvenile up to assist (them) in doing a keg stand," a drinking game where someone does a headstand while consuming alcohol. Happoldt said their arrests were in connection with the investigation but did not provide more specifics. Rathbone's date of offense is listed as June 10, 2023 and Whitehead's as Feb. 14, 2023, both over a year before the crash. USA TODAY was working to determine the attorneys representing both Rathbone and Whitehead. Community reels from 'unimaginable loss' Layne and Jayden were both students and football players at Rosman High School, part of the Transylvania County Schools district. In an Aug. 25 statement, Superintendent Lisa Fletcher called the crash a "devastating accident" that struck the community with an "unimaginable loss." "The loss of such young, vibrant lives is a stark reminder of how precious life is and how deeply we are all connected," Fletcher wrote. Following the tragedy the Rosman High School community held an "orange out" at an Aug. 30 home football game against North Henderson, where fans wore orange to show unity and support, according to the Hendersonville Times-News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contributing: Saleen Martin
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
3 adults charged in ATV accident that killed 2 Rosman High football players
State law enforcement confirmed the arrests of three Transylvania County adults for their role in the deaths of two Roseman High School students, juniors Jayden Reynaldo and Layne Jones, in an ATV accident last August. The two teenagers were driving on Old Wagon Road around 1 a.m. Aug. 25 when they ran off the road, struck a tree and were ejected from the vehicle. Both students were pronounced dead at the scene, the Citizen Times previously reported. At the time, North Carolina Highway Patrol believed excessive speed was the cause of the accident. Months later, law enforcement now believe alcohol to be a factor, according to Special Agent Antwan Happoldt. Ashley Marie Darity, 34, of Rosman, was arrested by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement special agents and charged with two counts of felony involuntary manslaughter, Happoldt told the Citizen Times. Darity was indicted on the charges in Transylvania Superior Court on Feb. 11, records show. State law enforcement officials have not confirmed what involvement Darity had in the deaths that led to the charges, though asked by the Citizen Times. Court records list Darity's date of offense as Aug. 24, the day before the accident. Brandon Kaine Rathbone, 47, and Patricia Faye Whitehead, 33, both of Balsam Grove, were also arrested in connection to the accident, Happoldt said. Both were arrested on Aug. 13 for aiding and abetting a person less than 21 years of age in the possession and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages, their arrest warrants state. According to his arrest warrant, Rathbone held an underage house party and purchased a malt beverage in part for a 15-year-old. Both Rathbone and Whitehead "held the juvenile up to assist (them) in doing a keg stand," according to the warrant. Whitehead is also accused of purchasing Twisted Tea, an alcoholic iced tea, for the underage teens. North Carolina ALE Special Agents often work with N.C. State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies investigating vehicle collisions that result in the personal injury or death of people under the age of 21 when alcohol is believed to be a factor in the accident. This is an on-going investigation, Happoldt said. More: Two Rosman High School students die in weekend accident in Transylvania County Transylvania County Schools released a news release about the death of the two Rosman students on the afternoon of Aug. 25. Both played on the school's football team. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of losing two of our beloved Rosman High School students in a devastating accident," the release said. "Our community has been struck by an unimaginable loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of these remarkable young individuals." Many Western North Carolina high schools posted messages of support and condolences across social media on the Sunday after the accident for Rosman, including Andrews, Brevard, Cherokee, Erwin, Franklin, Hayesville, Madison, Mitchell, Murphy, North Henderson, North Buncombe, Owen, Roberson, Smoky Mountain, Swain County and West Henderson. Five days after the death of the two players, the Rosman football team dedicated its game against North Henderson to them. The Tigers left Reynaldo and Jones' spots open on the field and let the play clock tick down to zero in their memory. More: Rosman football honors teammates in first game after the two Tigers' deaths This story will be updated. Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@ and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: 3 charged in ATV accident that killed 2 Rosman High football players
