A Clinton man, who was the driver of a car involved in a fatal accident early Sunday morning, has been arrested and charged with two felonies related to the wreck.

Carlos Alfonso Matute, 21, of 266 Nicole Lane, Clinton, was taken into custody by Sampson County Sheriff’s deputies at his home Wednesday and charged with felony death by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter.

He was taken to the Sampson County Detention Center where he was placed under a $15,000 secured bond by Magistrate A. Jackson. Matute was also given a trial date of Aug. 21.

Matute was headed east on Byrd-Yancey Bass Road, near Clinton, at 2:15 a.m. Sunday morning, when the car he was driving ran off the road and struck a tree.

The tree broke in half on impact and fell on top of his passenger, Reginaldo Prada Elvir, Jr, 23, of 99 Sasser Lane, Clinton, killing him instantly.

Matute was taken to the hospital, treated for non-life threatening injuries and released.

Tragically, Elvir was one of three local residents who died on Sampson County roads over the weekend.

Officers are still investigating a hit-and-run that took place the same morning on Lassiter Road, an accident that took the life of a pedestrian. Information is being sought that will lead them to a suspect in that incident. The name of the pedestrian, a 20-year-old Latino male, is still being withheld pending notification of his next of kin.