The man charged with killing two motorists and injuring two more saw his bond raised to $1.2 million today in Columbus County superior Court.
Jacob Taylor Sax, 25, of Mebane was arrested after he was discharged from Columbus Regional Tuesday. His bond was originally set at $300,000. He is charged with two counts each of misdemeanor death by vehicle and felony hit and run involving death or serious injury.
Kenneth Goben and Javier Pena were killed in the wreck at Washington and J.K. Powell Boulevard. Both men’s wives were airlifted to New Hanover Regional Medical Center with critical injuries.
Goben, a Marine Corps veteran, was a veterans service officer with the county. Pena previously served in the U.S. Army. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Mckenzie Mortuary is assisting the family.
The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m. Monday. Sax was heading north on J.K.Powell Boulevard at a high rate of speed when he struck the car driven by Goben, starting a crash that eventually involved five vehicles. Although he was injured, law enforcement sources said Sax fled the scene on foot. He was later captured and taken to Columbus Regional.
Damaged vehicles were stretched out from near Robinson’s Produce on J.K.Powell to the Timesaver parking lot at the corner of Washington and Powell.
Traffic through the busy intersection was snarled for more than an hour, with Public Works employees and the sheriff’s office assisting Whiteville Police with traffic control. The Highway Patrol was called in to assist in the investigation.
Whiteville Firefighters and Whiteville Rescue were assisted by Klondyke and Lake Waccamaw rescue squads.
