He’s faced over 20 driving charges. Now he’s charged with killing a retired NC teacher.
More than three months after a retired Durham teacher was killed and her son badly injured in a car crash, the driver of the other vehicle was arrested last week — and court records show he has a lengthy record of driving offenses.
Nathane John Blackmon, 42, of Erwin is charged with felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, felony possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and misdemeanor simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance in the Dec. 21 death of Dawn Tucker, 67, according to his arrest warrant.
The warrant was issued Jan. 14, but Blackmon wasn’t arrested until April 3 in Johnston County, court records show.
The fatal crash occurred at 6:42 p.m. in the 5000 block of North Roxboro Street in Durham, when Blackmon’s 2011 GMC Yukon veered into the opposite lane of travel, striking Tucker’s 2009 Honda Accord and a 2000 Chevy Silverado, according to search warrants.
Tucker and her 34-year-old son, Joey, were trapped in the Accord and had to be rescued by firefighters, search warrants state. Dawn Tucker died at a hospital, while her son was hospitalized with serious injuries, including a fractured sternum. The driver of the Silverado was not seriously injured.
Officers at the scene noted “signs of impairment” in Blackmon, including red, glassy eyes, slurred speech and difficulty paying attention or following directions, according to search warrants. Blackmon reportedly told officers he’d consumed alcohol before the crash, the warrants state.
Investigators also found benzodiazepines and psychedelic mushrooms in an unmarked prescription bottle in Blackmon’s vehicle, according to court documents. Blackmon is charged with possession of Alprazolam, which is used to treat anxiety disorders, and psilocybin.
The December crash was far from Blackmon’s first brush with the law. Court records show he has faced more than 20 driving-related charges since 2004, including multiple charges of driving with a revoked license.
Furthermore, Blackmon was on probation at the time of the crash. According to state records, he was sentenced in September 2022 to a three-year suspended sentence for multiple offenses in Harnett County, including speeding to elude arrest. That sentence would have been completed Sept. 30, 2025.
Blackmon was also the subject of a high-speed pursuit that began in Harnett County and ended in a wooded area of Cumberland County in June 2021, according to a report from local outlet The Linden Post. Erwin Police Chief Jonathan Johnson told the outlet Blackmon allegedly rammed into two police cars during the chase.
Mother was UNC Chapel Hill graduate
Friends and family remembered Dawn Tucker as a beloved mother, sister, friend and advocate, according to her obituary.
A Greensboro native, Tucker received undergraduate and graduate degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill, working her entire life to help people with disabilities. She retired in 2019 as a special education teacher for Durham Public Schools, her obituary states.
Tucker became a foster parent to Joey when he was 20 months old and later adopted him, according to her obituary.
“Her love and dedication to Joey, who has Down Syndrome, was constant and unwavering,” the obituary states.
Tucker was known for her fierce advocacy and compassion.
“Her sweetness and care for others were matched only by her steely resolve to be a part of people-powered movements to make the world a better, kinder, and safer place for all people,” her obituary states. “She changed the lives of countless people as a teacher, friend, and family member.”
Blackmon was being held in the Durham County jail under $5 million secured bail as of Tuesday evening.
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 8:51 AM with the headline "He’s faced over 20 driving charges. Now he’s charged with killing a retired NC teacher.."
