Murder charge in Raleigh crash: Newly released warrants point to drugs in truck
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- Chancellor Van Oden is charged with murder in a March crash in Raleigh.
- Reganne Johnson, 24, died in the crash at Capital and Highwoods boulevards.
- Warrants say cocaine was found in Van Oden’s truck and Johnson wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.
A California man facing a second-degree murder charge in a Raleigh crash allegedly had cocaine in his truck, according to newly released search warrants.
Chancellor Van Oden, 37, of Moreno Valley, California, was indicted last month in the death of Reganne Johnson, 24, in connection with a March 21 car crash, The News & Observer previously reported.
Van Oden’s pick-up truck allegedly ran a red light at Capital and Highwoods boulevards about 7 p.m. that day, striking the driver’s side of Johnson’s SUV, court documents state.
Johnson suffered severe brain damage and multiple fractures; she was declared brain-dead March 24, according to an investigative report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The Raleigh native was known for her “adventurous spirit” and became a flight attendant after graduating from East Carolina University, according to her obituary. She is survived by her parents, sister, grandparents and a host of extended relatives.
Johnson, who was driving the SUV, was allegedly not wearing a seatbelt, according to the investigative report and court documents. The truck is thought to have hit her car at 43 mph as Johnson attempted to turn left from Highwoods Boulevard onto Capital Boulevard, search warrants state.
Johnson’s passenger was also severely injured in the crash. The N&O is not naming her to protect her privacy.
When Van Oden spoke with officers at the scene, he allegedly provided a fake name and fake California ID, according to search warrants. The tires on his truck appeared to be balding, and cocaine was found in the driver’s compartment of the truck, the warrants state.
Van Oden appeared to be impaired but declined breath or blood testing, The N&O previously reported. Police obtained a warrant for a vial of his blood; it’s not clear what the results were, but he was charged with driving while impaired in the crash, court records show.
In addition to the pending murder case, Van Oden also has pending citations for speeding and expired registration from April 2025 and several felony charges in Texas, The N&O previously reported.
The Texas charges include allegations he sexually assaulted a child in Dallas County in February 2020, court records show. The state of Texas is seeking to have Van Oden extradited in that case, for which a prosecutor indicated he will be reindicted, according to court documents.
Van Oden remained in jail without bail as of Wednesday morning.
