Man arrested on vehicular manslaughter charges

A Tioga man was held in Denton County Jail this week on felony charges for allegedly causing a wreck Saturday that resulted in two deaths.

Barry Keith Boyd, 47, has been charged in the deaths of Ralph Muirhead, 52, of Corinth, the driver of a motorcycle, and Shannon Casada, 50, of Dallas, his fiancée, both of whom died at the scene.

Boyd has been charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and one count of an accident involving injury or death.

Boyd remained in Denton County Jail Thursday morning on bonds totaling $300,000. Bond on the intoxication manslaughter charges was set at $125,000 for each count; the charge of accident involving injury or death caried a $50,000 bond.

The wreck occurred around 12:40 p.m. Boyd was driving a pickup in the 9700 block of U.S. 377 on the north side of Aubrey and near Belew Road, where the crash occurred. He fled the scene but was apprehended by Northeast police a few miles south from where the crash took place.

Northeast police Chief James Edland said police were alerted about car crash on 377. A Northeast police report said witnesses followed Boyd from the scene. Northeast police pulled over Boyd at 12:51 p.m. in the 4700 block of U.S. 377, Edland said.

Witnesses were able to provide relevant information about the vehicle, such as its description and direction, to the 9-1-1 call-taker, Aubrey police Capt. Williams Townsend said. He was unable to release witness names.

“We’re still knee-deep in this investigation,” said Townsend.

A Northeast police report said when Boyd exited his vehicle, he had trouble keeping his balance and needed the truck to keep from falling. Boyd admitted to drinking to the officer. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrived at the scene where Boyd was and took over the investigation, determined there was probable cause to arrest Boyd and then arrested him, the Northeast police report said.

Both Boyd and the motorcycle riders were going north on 377, Aubrey police said. Aubrey police said the crash occurred when Boyd tried to make an abrupt u-turn on 377, pulled off the shoulder and then moved in front of and collided with the motorcycle. Muirhead, who was directly behind him, tried to stop but his brakes locked and he crashed into the truck.

Boyd has many arrests in his record, dating back to 1989, according to Denton County Jail records.