A white teenager who fatally hit a Black man with his pickup truck and then bragged about it on Snapchat while using a racial slur will not be charged with a crime, Louisiana State Police said on social media.
Matthew Martin, 18, was found not at fault when he killed Sherrell Lewis Jr. in May.
Following the deadly collision, Martin posted video on Snapchat about the incident. He also used the app to tell his friends that he killed “some n****r.” He shared that Lewis died on his way to the hospital and used a laughing emoji, screenshots show.
The company Martin keeps is also telling. In the Snapchat exchange, a friend asked Martin “how did the chevy (sic) take it.”
“f***** it up pretty good lol,” Martin answered.
“it’ll buff out,” the friend said, to which Martin responded, “yes sir,” along with the laughing face.
The friend asked, “he die on impact or what”
“no he died [on the way] to the hospital,” said Martin.
Lewis was killed on his birthday. He was cleaning debris from the highway at the time of the crash.
The Louisiana State Police wrote on Facebook that by changing the direction he was walking in, Lewis walked into his own death:
Martin was operating his vehicle at the posted speed limit of 55 mph, prior to the crash, and decreased his speed as he approached Lewis Jr.’s location in the roadway.
As Martin was nearing the scene, he switched his vehicle from the right lane to the left lane. As Lewis Jr. entered the right lane, he altered his direction of travel and began walking back towards the grass median. This action placed him in the direct path of the 2003 Chevrolet pickup.
Martin, meanwhile, violated no laws because “he was not on his phone during the crash” — despite what he posted on Snapchat as the tragedy unfolded.
A GoFundMe was created and has raised nearly $18,000 since June 1st and has a goal of $20,000. According to Lewis’ sister, ” the funds are going to be used to help keep Rell’s dream, Sonny Boy’s Barber and Beauty, alive and well.”
