NC driver accused of mowing down teacher was in and out of ‘revolving door’ jail

North Carolina officials have set a Durham serial offender’s bond at $5 million after he was charged in a fatal, impaired driving crash that killed a school teacher and injured her adopted son, who has Down syndrome.

Nathane Blackmon, 42, is charged with felony death by vehicle, felony serious injury by vehicle, felony drug possession and simple drug possession in connection with the January death of Dawn Tucker, 67, and the injury of her son, 34-year-old Joey Tucker.

“Dawn welcomed Joey into her life as a foster parent when he was 20 months old. Their bond grew strong, and she later adopted him, becoming not only his mother but also his fiercest advocate and supporter,” Dawn Tucker’s obituary states. “Her love and dedication to Joey, who has Down Syndrome, was constant and unwavering.”

The obituary further describes the 67-year-old mother as having “an indomitable spirit and a compassionate heart.”

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“She was deeply committed to causes she believed in, unafraid to protest when necessary, and steadfast in her advocacy for those who are ignored, silenced, or left behind,” it reads. “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. She changed the lives of countless people as a teacher, friend, and family member. She will be dearly missed.”

“She changed the lives of countless people as a teacher, friend, and family member. “

— Obituary for Dawn Tucker

Prior to the fatal crash, Blackmon was in and out of Durham County jail over the course of two decades, with his first charge stemming from a 2001 larceny case. He was charged with dozens of crimes over the last 24 years and pleaded guilty to many of them but consistently returned to his community — and to his car, which he was not supposed to be driving.

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As years went by, Blackmon appeared to become more brazen in his criminal actions. 

Over the last 20 years, he has faced a wide range of criminal charges, including assault on a female, resisting a public officer, breaking and entering, shoplifting, kidnapping, interfering with emergency communication, eluding arrest, assault with a deadly weapon against a government official, reckless driving to endanger, and felony probation violation, on top of various other traffic and drug-related charges.

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“It’s not just Durham … it’s a lot of municipalities. These officers put their lives on the line every day to go out and make the community safe for everybody,” ret. Durham Police Department homicide detective Terry Mikels with Executive Security Concepts told Fox News Digital. “They have such a high standard to follow. They have to have probable cause to make an arrest. Then they have to make probable cause or show probable cause again for a magistrate to issue the warrant. Then they had to show probable cause again for a district court judge to get them through the system.”

“This revolving door has got to stop. These officers have got to be supported.”

— Terry Mikels, retired Durham PD officer

Officers spend hours showing proof of why a criminal suspect should be arrested, charged and detained in courthouses, only for offenders to “go right back on probation,” even if they are found guilty of a crime, Mikels explained.

The former officer said this kind of repetitive cycle for repeat offenders has become “the normal protocol.”

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“I’ve been working homicide cases for years. You see people go from a peeping tom to assault on a female, and they tend to escalate. It’s the same thing — whether it’s property crimes, drugs. … At what point are we saying enough’s enough?” Mikels said. “We’re going to put you in jail and there’s going to be a penalty for what you do. And the real crux of the matter is that: when you’re in jail, guess what? You’re not out committing crimes anymore.”

To make matters more complicated, the Durham Police Department, like many others across the country, is dealing with significant staffing shortages. Police are pulled thin in responding to emergencies, and it becomes “very frustrating to officers” when “they’re dealing with the same guys over and over and over,” he said.

The Durham Police Department referred Fox News Digital to the Durham District Attorney’s Office, which did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.

Blackmon’s public defender, Monica Burnette, could not be reached for comment.