A Charlotte driver who sped off after a deadly crash on Beatties Ford Road is now headed to prison. Today, a judge sentenced 25-year-old Tyzhaun Carney to an active prison term of 31 to 47 months for the hit-and-run that killed 18-year-old missionary Aleki Langi and injured another missionary on the west Charlotte corridor.
Sentence and charges
Court records show Carney pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of felony hit-and-run, two counts of misdemeanor child abuse, and driving while license revoked. A judge then imposed an active term of 31 to 47 months, according to Queen City News. The plea and sentencing came Friday after prosecutors laid out evidence from the May 1, 2025 collision.
What happened on Beatties Ford Road
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says officers were called to the 1400 block of Beatties Ford Road around 5:18 p.m. on May 1, 2025. Two bicyclists were found on the sidewalk; MEDIC pronounced Langi dead at the scene and took another missionary to the hospital, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. CMPD’s Major Crash Investigation Unit processed the crash site and opened the case that would eventually lead investigators to a Polestar and its driver.
Investigation and arrest
Detectives identified the Polestar’s driver and secured warrants, then put out the word to law enforcement in neighboring states. Authorities say Carney was arrested in Richland County on June 2, 2025 by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, as reported by WSOC. He was later extradited back to North Carolina, where prosecutors filed the involuntary manslaughter and hit-and-run charges that formed the backbone of the plea deal.
Evidence in court
Court documents reviewed by Queen City News show that the Polestar’s airbag control module logged a speed of about 72 mph in a 35 mph zone just before the vehicle left the roadway. Prosecutors leaned on that data in court, pairing it with Carney’s decision to leave the scene to argue for the active prison term. Both the speed and the hit-and-run were front and center at sentencing.
Why this matters
The deadly crash has sharpened public focus on safety along Beatties Ford Road and other busy corridors where cars regularly mix with walkers and cyclists. State and regional transportation plans call for safer streets that account for more than just drivers. The N.C. Department of Transportation’s NC-73 project, for example, includes upgrades meant to handle multimodal use, including new pedestrian and bicycle facilities, according to NCDOT. Local advocates and planners argue that tougher enforcement and redesigned infrastructure will both be needed to bring down serious crashes on high-speed stretches.
Family members and community leaders have publicly mourned Langi’s death and say the outcome in court sends a message about the consequences of leaving a crash scene. Court records indicate Carney’s sentence is an active term, and any post-conviction filings would move forward under standard Mecklenburg County procedures.
