Teen Charged With Murder After 100 MPH Police Chase Ends in Tragic Death of 61-Year-Old Man

A Tragic Encounter on the Road

A 16-year-old has been charged with murder after leading Forsyth County deputies on a high-speed chase last week. According to investigators, the teenager was driving at an alarming speed, forcing the deputies to halt their pursuit. The incident took a tragic turn when the teen crashed into a 61-year-old man who was on his way to an eye doctor appointment.

Robert Marcis’ family is in deep sorrow, grieving a loss that came unexpectedly. “He’s going to be greatly missed, and it’s a tragic thing that took him from us,” said his cousin. The family made the heartbreaking decision to remove Robert from life support after doctors confirmed that the brain injuries he sustained were too severe to overcome.

A Life Remembered

Shawn Marcis-Beam, Robert’s cousin, shared memories of the man known as “Bob” to those who knew him. He described Bob as someone with a passion for working with his hands and a humble nature. “He was very perseverant,” Shawn said. “Sometimes he’d come across as a little unemotional or grouchy, but for the most part, everybody got along with him, and everybody liked him.”

On June 18, Bob was en route to his eye exam when his car was struck by 16-year-old Eleazar Medina, who was attempting to evade law enforcement. “His best friend was the first one to find out about it,” said Shawn. “He was driving home from work, and he thought, ‘Oh, that looks like Bob’s car,’ and yeah, it was.”

Legal Consequences

Because of the severity of the crash, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office has added a second-degree murder charge against Medina, who was already being treated as an adult. In addition to this new charge, Medina faces eight other charges related to the incident, including assault with a deadly weapon, felony hit and run, reckless driving, and operating a vehicle without a license.

An arrest warrant obtained by WXII states that Medina was driving over 100 mph in a 55-mph zone before the crash. Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough expressed his condolences to the Marcis family, stating that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office will handle harmful conditions and threats to the community with the fullest extent of the law.

A Difficult Decision

The injuries Bob suffered were so severe that his family had to make a difficult choice: take him off life support. “Bob’s brain had so much injury and trauma to it that it’s something that a 15 or 16-year-old might be able to make some recovery from, but not a 61-year-old,” said Shawn. “If he ever woke up, he would not have any quality of life. He would have to have been in a long-term care facility. He’d have to have a feeding tube, and Bob would not have wanted that.”

Despite his passing, Bob continues to help others through organ donation. “To my understanding, we’ll get a list soon of how many of his organs were used and what they were used for, and how many people were helped,” Shawn explained. “He’s not going to want any recognition for it, but it gives us some comfort to know that he’ll live on.”

Ongoing Legal Proceedings

Medina’s next court date is set for July 9 in Forsyth County for his original eight charges. A spokesperson for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office mentioned that it’s possible the new murder charge may also be addressed then.

In addition to Medina, his mother, Adilene Calleja, is being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and allowing an unlicensed driver. She was initially held in the Forsyth County Detention Center under a Department of Homeland Security immigration detainer. WXII is working to determine if she is still being held there or has been moved elsewhere.