CMPD charges 18-year-old with murder after January east Charlotte crash involving reported stolen Kia

A January crash in the Eastway Division has now led to a murder charge

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have charged an 18-year-old with murder in connection with a deadly early-morning crash in east Charlotte that investigators say involved a reported stolen vehicle. The charge follows a Jan. 4 collision on Shamrock Drive near Eastway Drive that left one passenger dead and two others hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

The defendant, Ronny Briones-Melgara, is also charged with larceny and possession of a stolen vehicle, police said. The victim who died at the scene was identified by police as Anthony Pavon Santos, 18.

What police say happened on Shamrock Drive

Investigators said Eastway Division officers were called at about 2:38 a.m. on Jan. 4 to the 3200 block of Shamrock Drive for a crash with injuries. Officers found a Kia Forte off the roadway with heavy front-end and passenger-side damage. Charlotte Fire and MEDIC also responded.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicated the Kia was traveling west at a high rate of speed, the driver lost control, the vehicle left the roadway, and it struck a telephone pole and a tree. Police said the Kia had been reported stolen.

• Location: 3200 block of Shamrock Drive, near Eastway Drive
• Date and time: Jan. 4, 2026, about 2:38 a.m.
• Vehicle: Kia Forte reported stolen
• Outcome: one passenger pronounced dead at the scene; driver and a juvenile passenger taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries

Charges filed after the crash

Police announced on March 7, 2026, that Briones-Melgara had been charged with murder stemming from the Jan. 4 crash. Police also listed charges of larceny and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Authorities have not released additional investigative details in the charging announcement, including whether impairment is alleged, whether any other vehicles were involved, or how the vehicle was reported stolen. The juvenile passenger referenced in the initial crash response was not identified.

Cases that involve high-speed driving in a reported stolen vehicle can raise complex questions for investigators and prosecutors about driving conduct, causation, and criminal intent, particularly when a fatality occurs.

What happens next

The murder charge moves the case into a higher-stakes phase of the criminal process, where court proceedings will determine how evidence from the crash investigation is presented and tested. Police have not publicly detailed the timeline between the crash, the investigation, and the decision to seek the murder charge.

As the case proceeds, key factual issues are expected to center on the circumstances leading to the Kia leaving the roadway, the factors investigators attribute to the loss of control, and the legal basis for elevating the crash-related death to a murder charge.