Former LSU and NFL running back Richard Murphy was formally charged Thursday in connection with a June crash that killed a 95-year-old man and his 75-year-old daughter-in-law, according to court records.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore filed a bill of information against the 39-year-old Murphy on two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of first-degree vehicular negligent injuring. He also faced counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and reckless operation of a vehicle, according to a Baton Rouge police affidavit.
The crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. June 14 in the 900 block of Main Street in downtown Baton Rouge.
Police investigators say Murphy, driving a 2017 Ford F250, ran a red light and crashed into another truck, killing passengers Robert Tarver and his daughter-in-law, Carla Tarver. The driver of the second truck, Carla’s Tarver’s husband, Bobby Tarver, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
Detectives obtained video that showed Murphy running the red light; other surveillance video showed Murphy had run at least one other red light on Main Street before the crash, the affidavit states.
Officers also learned from the air bag control module of Murphy’s truck that at the time of impact he had been traveling about 58 mph in a 30-mph zone.
A test of Murphy’s blood on the day of the crash, obtained at the hospital with a warrant, showed a blood alcohol content of 0.13%, over the legal limit of 0.08%, the affidavit said.
Murphy also was driving without vehicle insurance and with a suspended driver’s license on the day of the crash, arrest records show.
Murphy is out on bond from East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
Murphy, of Rayville, was a running back with the Tigers from 2007 to 2010. He was selected to wear the No.18 jersey in his senior year, an honor bestowed on upperclassmen who are team leaders, according to his biography on the LSU Athletics website.
He went on to play professionally in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The original version of this story stated Murphy was indicted by a grand jury. It has been corrected.