Carlton Ray Brooks, 42, Undra Montrell Taybron, 40, Garland Earp, 39, and Arrington Earp, 23, killed during street drag race on Simon Road in Middlesex, North Carolina; Jimmy Pearce II, 37, charged with murder

Witnesses told local media outlets two cars were drag racing when one driver lost control and struck a group of people who were standing nearby around 10:30 p.m. Officials say three people have died and four others were hurt in a wreck in Johnson County. Manning said the driver of one of the cars has been arrested.

Man facing murder charges after killing 4, injuring 3 in Johnston Co. drag racing crash Posted: Updated: The driver accused of plowing through a crowd of people in Middlesex Sunday night, killing four and injuring three others, is facing multiple second-degree murder charges, North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials said Monday. The Highway Patrol responded to a single vehicle collision on Simon Road near Buck Road in Johnston County at 10:39 p.m. Highway Patrol officials said that the investigation appears to show that the two vehicles were involved in a pre-arranged speed competition. The four killed have been identified by North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials. Paramedics, Johnston County Sheriff'€™s officials and the North Carolina Highway Patrol were also at the scene, which was still active as of early Monday morning.

A North Carolina man has been charged with second-degree murder in an apparent drag race that killed four people and injured several others. Court records show that Jimmy Pearce II of Zebulon is charged with three counts of second-degree murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said investigators believe two cars were in a pre-arranged race when one driver lost control and struck a group of people watching nearby about 10:30 p.m. The Highway Patrol says in a news release that Pearce hit the victims with his 1989 Ford Mustang in the crash in Johnston County, about 30 miles east of Raleigh. In addition to the people killed, at least three were injured.

Carlton Ray Brooks, 42, Undra Montrell Taybron, 40, Garland Earp, 39, and Arrington Earp, 23, were killed. Anyone who can identify the driver or the car is asked to contact the State Highway Patrol at 800-662-7956. Jimmy Pearce, 37, of 11557D N.C. Highway 39, also faces three charges of assault with a deadly weapon, which seriously injured three people. That person, who witnesses said was traveling in the wrong lane at the time of the crash, fled the scene. Pearce's car came to a stop after hitting a tree, and he suffered minor injuries, investigators said.