Background: News footage of Mache Darby in court in March (WSOC). Inset: Ryan Zadrozny (Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home).
A North Carolina man apologized to the family of the pedestrian he fatally struck with his car, saying the tragedy “could have been avoided.”
Mache Darby, 40, admitted guilt to several felony charges, such as second-degree murder, and received a minimum 16-year prison sentence on Thursday. On December 1, 2024, Darby was speeding in his Mercedes-Benz through an intersection in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ryan Zadrozny, 23, a New Jersey native visiting friends, was crossing that intersection when Darby struck him at 105 mph and “never stopped,” as per an arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime.
Zadrozny died at the scene, and Darby crashed his car after being chased by police.
Upon arrest, Darby was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. He confessed to consuming tequila at a club before driving, and it was determined he was “impaired” during the fatal hit-and-run incident.
Darby was held on $1.5 million bond after being charged with Zadrozny”s murder.
According to WSOC, an ABC local affiliate, Darby had a prior conviction for another fatal hit-and-run in 2011, serving 18 months in prison and 30 months of probation for that crime.
In court on Thursday, Darby expressed remorse when addressing Zadrozny’s family, stating, “I’m very, very sorry. This could have been avoided.”
Zadrozny’s uncle, Kevin Wallace, shared with WSOC, “The heartache just never ends,” while noting, “No amount of punishment is going to justify or do anything to bring Ryan back.” WSOC’s reporting indicated that both sides left the courtroom in tears.
Darby pled guilty to charges of second-degree murder, death by vehicle, hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death, eluding arrest, and reckless driving.
