Family of NC lineman killed in hit-and-run calls for stronger penalties

A family in Johnston County is calling on North Carolina lawmakers to strengthen punishment for hit-and-run drivers, after a 29-year-old lineman was killed while restoring power during an outage.  

James Rudzki, a lineman for Pike Electric, died on Oct. 29 in Selma while working with a crew responding to power outages. In the months after his passing, James’s family has begun their advocacy, pushing for change they believe could help prevent other hit-and-run tragedies. 

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says the incident occurred around 5:20pm on Live Oak Church Road. Work crews stopped traffic due to low hanging power lines, but an individual driving a truck didn’t follow traffic control guidelines. The vehicle became entangled in the power wires, causing Rudzki to fall. He died at the scene. 

The driver then left the scene but was identified as Ronald Thomas Mayo, 44, of Smithfield. He was charged with felony hit-and-run involving death. 

In an interview with Carolina Journal, James Rudzki’s mother, Krystal Brown, described her son as someone deeply committed to others and passionate about his work as a lineman. 

“He would give you the shirt off his back,” Brown said. “He would spend hours listening to anyone that needed an ear.” 

Brown talked about how her son took pride in his work as a lineman and saw it as a calling, often putting himself in dangerous conditions to help others during outages and severe storms. 

“He was fulfilling his dream and what he felt he was called to do,” she said. 

In the months after his death, Brown said their loss has left a lasting void for her family. 

“There’s an emptiness and a void in our lives that can’t be fixed,” she said. 

She is now channeling her loss into advocacy through a petition she launched. The petition, started in Rudzki’s name, has gathered hundreds of signatures in just over a week, calling on state lawmakers to increase penalties for drivers who leave the scene of accidents involving death. 

The petition calls for stronger consequences, including longer prison sentences, higher fines, and mandatory license termination. Brown said the goal is to address what she sees as a lack of accountability in current law and to prevent other families from experiencing similar loss. 

“I’m asking for a change in hit-and-run death accidents,” Brown said. “These events leave families without justice, without closure, without accountability.” 

Under North Carolina law, leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious injury is classified as a felony. In serious cases, it can be charged as a Class F felony, which can carry prison time and license termination. Lesser felony classifications may apply depending on the circumstances. 

Brown said she believes those penalties are not sufficient enough to keep drivers from fleeing and is calling for stronger enforcement and overall awareness. 

The case has also drawn attention to concerns about safety in work zones, where utility crews and emergency personnel often operate close to traffic. These environments can present significant risks, especially when drivers fail to follow traffic control guidelines. 

Across North Carolina and nationwide, fatal hit-and-run incidents have become an increasing focus of policy discussions, as lawmakers consider how to strengthen deterrence and improve public safety outcomes. 

For Rudzki’s family, the push for reform is about more than legislation. It is an effort to ensure that his life and work are remembered, while also advocating for changes that could help protect others in the future. 

“I want people to remember him as an everyday hero,” Brown said. 

“Family of NC lineman killed in hit-and-run calls for stronger penalties” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.