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Man charged in high-profile fatality now a fugitive
Local and federal authorities are searching for a man who jumped bail after being charged with three felonies stemming from a fatal accident late last year in Kill Devil Hills.
A malfunctioning traffic signal was flashing when the accident took place Oct. 5, touching off an intense debate over responsibility for controlling the intersection and eventually leading to lower speed limits.
Luis Alberto Rodriguez, 44, of Colington failed to appear in court and is now a fugitive, District Attorney Frank Parrish said last week. Federal authorities, he said, have been called in “to cast a wide net and try to locate him.”
Rodriguez has been charged with felony death by vehicle while engaged in the offense of impaired driving, two counts of felonious serious injury by vehicle and driving while impaired.
Rodriguez was hospitalized in Norfolk after the accident. He later posted secured bond that had been reduced to $50,000, according to court records.
Kill Devil Hills police Capt. Gene Johnson said that Rodriguez had been in the country on a temporary visa that has expired. He said the FBI is also working on the case.
Joseph Storie, 51, of Lenoir died from injuries in the wreck. He was a passenger in a pickup truck that rolled over in the accident. The driver of the truck, 43-year-old Paul Thomas, sustained minor injuries and was treated at The Outer Banks Hospital.
Storie’s wife, 37-year-old Alicia, and sister, 45-year-old Christina, were in the back seat of the pickup. They were flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Storie was visiting the Outer Banks with his family.
An investigation determined that Rodriguez was traveling east on Colington Road and failed to stop for a flashing red light, police said. Rodriguez drove his Chevrolet Lumina into the intersection and was struck by the Chevrolet pickup, which was traveling south.
The traffic signal had malfunctioned about two hours before the crash. Traffic on U.S. 158 had a flashing yellow signal, giving vehicles the right of way, while traffic on Colington Road and Ocean Bay Boulevard had a flashing red light.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation was notified of the malfunctioning light but had not arrived to make repairs before the crash. Some questioned why police were not directing traffic.
The intersection was closed for three and a half hours until the scene was cleared.
As a result of the accident, speed limits were lowered on U.S. 158 from 50 to 45 mph from around the Wright Brothers National Memorial to Nags Head Elementary School. The limit was also lowered to 35 from 45 on Colington Road just west of U.S. 158.
Tips can be called in anonymously to Dare Community Crimeline at (252) 473-3111 or (800) 745-2746. If the information leads to the apprehension of Rodriguez there would be a cash reward.
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OldNews says:
Can we return the speed limit back to normal. Nice local news post
Frank Moore says:
This should be no surprise to anyone; the surprise was that he was allowed to post bail considering his personal cirmcustances and the seriousness of his actions. Maybe Chief Britt and Sgt Anderson will apprehend him.
islander says:
Law enforcement has handled this guy, it is the judicial system that has failed the family of the victim. Letting someone out on bond when there is a known flight risk is the negligence of the courts system and not the law enforcement officers. Those guys brought him before a judge, the judge was the one that let him go. Do some more digging on this one Rob.
charlie says:
visa expired and he gets bail?
luvcolingtonharbour says:
How does an illegal alien get rights as an American citizen? All I can say is WTF!!?? Seriously, the guy gets bail for 50 grand?!
Denise says:
Thank you Outer Banks Voice! We have been trying since April when he didnt show for court. Everyone please share article with all you contacts.
KDH Rezident Evil says:
Bail fail. Most of the blame falls on the court, but I’m certain there’s some bail bondsman out there who was greedy enough to take his cut and post the money for this guy. Well fella, you better hope Lee Majors is still in the bounty hunting business, ’cause you’re about to be out 50K.
Sister says:
Thank you Outer Banks Voice for running this article! We having been trying to get something posted on this since he did not show up for court back in April…
Chris says:
He has been missing since mid April. Thank you for getting his picture out there. Our family is praying and are very hopeful this will get him caught. He fled from the hospital, got caught, was brought back to Dare Co, and his bond was still reduced. Unbelievable! The community of Kill Devil Hills is wonderful as well as the surrounding communities. Please send this article to everyone you know. Joe Storie is an awesome Dad, brother, son, uncle, and friend to everyone. Our family is devastated and are the ones now serving a life sentence without my brother!
charlie says:
Next question…..Which court and which judge?
Native son says:
Since April he’s been missing?,hell he’s back in Guatalajara by now.Fat chance of catching him in this century.Same as the fatal hit and run on the Wanchese Rd. a few years ago.SAD!
chaser says:
We all know drunk drivers wont drive on road that the speed limits have been lowered on….what a joke.
Col Res says:
Is this why a lot of police were at a house in Colington all afternoon yesterday? Looking for him or clues?
Kelli says:
Thank you Outer Banks Voice! I can not believe he was ever allowed out on bail in the first place. Now, finally people are trying to find this man! Anyone who reads this please please share this information how ever you can! With today’s social media surely someone will see him! Let’s get justice for Joe!
Chris says:
Let’s please just get Luis Rodriguez brought to justice! My brother did not deserve to die in this way. So violently and for no other reason than pure negligence. We bought him a plank at Jeanette’s Pier because he loved fishing there so very much. It is on the left side ramp going to the pier. It is in memory of Joe Storie. It says ” No more work. Fishing all day.” Because Joey worked hard his whole life and it was cut short by a man who doesn’t even care. We have to stop this from happening to other families!
Mark says:
Doesn’t a flashing yellow light mean to approach the intersection with caution? The Lumina was in the intersection and was hit by the truck-how does that make this guy guilty of killing the other driver? In every accident I have been involved in the at fault party is the one doing the hitting, not the one being hit.
This is a tragic accident, don’t get me wrong. I would be looking for someone to blame if it was my brother. But peace will be found with forgiveness, not revenge. I’m truly sorry for your loss even if it doesn’t sound like I am.
Imagine you are this illegal alien: you are in America to work (probably) and send 90% of your earnings to family back home (also likely). You are in this accident and KNOW that no matter what the jig is up and you will be deported at a minimum, prison at a maximum.
What would you do? Stay and go to jail in a foreign country? Be honest! Not a single one of you would. You would do the exact same thing this guy did. Stick it to a bondsman and get the hell outta Dodge.
Run man run! Don’t look back!
Just my $0.02
angry mom says:
i just want to say that joe was a wonderful father and i’m so upset that he will miss out on being a grandfather and weddings.its not fair at all and i can’t believe they let this man go.this has changed my life and i will never get over it nither will my kids please remember them in your prayers.we all are serving a life sentence.he raised my kids to be fine young men and i thank him for that.pray he will be caught.
Rosie Hawthorne says:
Col Res, I heard that was a drug bust.
KDHer says:
Unbelievable! Give this guy a walking pass outta here?!….but lower the speed limit?!?! Shows the level of genius we’re surrounded by.ugh
Kevin says:
Your kidding me,,he ESCAPED Norfolk hospital(not under PD watch cause he was in bad shape),,the NC Troopers caught him in the middle of NC heading SOUTH,,,and he was given BAIL??? Really??????He is from Houndoures,,,,,start looking there(yea right).
Obvious says:
Yet another shining example of how the Liberals and their their voters keep the Rights of those not here legally above the Rights of the rest of us.
A Conservative Judge would have seen the first disappearance (after the hospital debacle) as what it was, and KEPT the bond as it was to avoid what exactly happened.
obxdad says:
Adios Muchacho.
He never should have been given bail – while they stick locals with big tabs from the bondsman, this guy, an OBVIOUS flight risk, was allowed to go free.
We need to replace our bail system with electronic monitoring – if he had a GPS cuff held with plenty of steel and a anti-tamper alarm around his ankle, he’d be in custody right now.
Chris says:
We asked for that and was told they did not have any ankle monitors! Really?
charlie says:
Which judge? What’s the explanation from the bench?
becky sister says:
Thank you Outer Banks Voice for running this article. We all loved Joe so much it still seems so unreal.Maybe this will help to bring the justice we need!
Beach guy says:
So sorry for the loss to this family and the residents of Colington . The police department can see the light from their office i bet. The fact that they were NOT there within 2 minets directing traffic is Criminal! That is their job ! Oh not in Kill Devil Hills. This is the busyest intersection on the beach not to mention 3 schools on the rd. I hope all the parents take note of how little Town of KDH thinks of saftey of children. Lower the speed limit instead of doing your job . Great now everyone drives 25 to 30 down Colington RD .
to mark says:
Mark, you don’t have the facts straight. Rodriguez came out of nowhere and witnesses said the driver of the truck was driving below the posted speed limit. Check the facts before you post nonsense again.
To mark says also says:
And he did not kill the driver he killed the passenger on the side of the truck HE hit!!
Fred says:
Another of the POTUS/Big Mama’s “prosecutorial discretions, aka “turn ‘em loose”, that keeps us on our toes.
Where was ICE?
Chris says:
All we have heard is ” I don’t know anything about immigration laws.” It is about time our people in OUR judicial system starts getting educated about it. As much as our country has to deal with it now!
Want to Know says:
I want to know who the judge was that let this man bond out. Letting him go free, after he had already ran once before, is a crime in itself!
Elizabeth says:
I was eating ice cream at the Dairy Queen when the accident happened. It is clear that the car coming from Colington was at fault. His car careened into the ditch right in front of the DQ at a high speed before it landed.
I agree that immigration laws need to be tightened and all of law enforcement must be educated.
A large percentage of US jails are filled with illegal immigrants who have committed crimes – some unspeakable.
It is awful enough to lose a loved one in such a horrific manner (and it was horrific, I assure you) and then have to watch as the keystone cops and judges in Dare Co essentially let him go.
I am so sorry for the families who have to live through this nightmare.
Becky says:
An expired visa??? 3 felonies… And let out on bail ??? Are you kidding me? I’m sorry, but I’d have to put a bounty hunter on that man. What kind of judge would do such a thing??? He needs to be removed. That poor family is suffering and will continue to suffer even more with no justice. And Mark, here’s my 2 cents….you should ask for forgiveness for the sinful post that you made. Just for the record, I do not know this family at all but I do know God. I cannot understand why you would say RUN unless you are a criminal yourself. I don’t know if you can’t read or if you have a bad interpreter but do you even know what DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED is? I’ll tell you what it is….it is illegal. I do not care if he is here working and sending 90% of his pay back home. What would I do? I surely would get my visa renewed, and not drive around impaired because that is against the law! Shame on you for posting such a terrible comment. I would be praying for forgiveness if I were you.