Man charged with murder in fatal DUI head-on collision on Highway 70 in Solomon 

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald:

Bond set at $750,000

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

SAFFORD – A man who authorities say was under the influence of alcohol when he caused a fatal collision in Solomon last May has been charged with murder in the second degree. 

Kenneth McQueen Murdock, 49, of Mesa, has also been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of endangerment and extreme DUI. The Graham County Attorney’s Office filed the charges and Murdock was recently picked up on a warrant for his arrest. His initial bond was listed at $750,000.  

The charges stem from a fatal collision on the morning of May 25 that took the life of Mary Helen Ocon, 53, of Safford, and severely injured her passenger, Celeste Peru Pasley, 26, of Safford. 

The women were westbound on U.S. Highway 70 in an orange, 2004 Ford Mustang at about 6:30 a.m. when an eastbound silver, 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup driven by Murdock crossed over the centerline and collided head-on into them at about milepost 345.

Ocon was declared deceased at the scene, while Pasley and Murdock were both initially taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center before being transferred to Banner-University Medical Center Tucson.

Mary Ocon

Murdock had to be extricated from the truck by Safford Fire, however, and upon doing so authorities located numerous open and unopened Budweiser beer cans.    

Murdock was spotted driving erratically seven miles before the collision and an attempt to locate his truck was issued. A witness advised seeing Murdock travel in the two-way center lane of Highway 70 for roughly a mile before returning to the eastbound lanes. 

The witness called 911 to report the impaired driver and continued to follow. He then reported seeing Murdock “continuously swerve” and completely cross over from the eastbound shoulder to the westbound shoulder as the truck left Safford city limits eastbound. He said Murdock struck a sign on the westbound shoulder of the roadway about one-quarter mile from the collision. The witness then saw the Colorado collide head-on with the Mustang.   

An initial blood draw at Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center showed a blood-alcohol concentration of .201. DPS test samples taken hour(s) later showed BACs of .137 and .112, according to a DPS report.  

At Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, Murdock allegedly told medical staff that he normally drinks six to eight beers a day and that he sometimes has shakes from alcohol withdrawal. He said he was on his way from Mesa to visit a friend in Alamogordo, New Mexico but only remembered driving and being put into an ambulance. Murdock reportedly suffered numerous broken bones in the collision, including both legs.

Murdock will be brought back to Graham County to face charges here. He has yet to make his initial appearance.