On June 28^th, 2018 at approximately 4:50 PM the York City Police Department responded to part of the York County Rail Trail that intersects with Kings Mill Road and Jessop Pl for an accident.  The driver of a Chevy Impala, Murphy Franklin 48, of York was traveling northbound in the 500 block of Jessop Pl and failed to stop at a properly posted stop sign and continued straight through a T intersection.  Franklin’s vehicle then left the roadway, went over a curb, then a sidewalk, crossed a patch of grass and struck the victim who was riding his Cannondale bicycle on the rail trail. 

The bicyclist was thrown down an embankment and came to rest just northeast of the vehicle.  The defendant’s vehicle also went down the embankment and flipped over coming to rest on its wheels facing westbound.  

The bicyclist passed away on scene and an autopsy later showed the manner of death was due to blunt force trauma from this accident. 

Franklin claims to have had a seizure and blacked out.  He has a history of seizures, headaches, and migraines.  During a follow up visit Franklin states he woke up with a headache that day but did not think much of it. 

Franklin has been involved in several other accidents over the past 8 years.

On July 7, 2011 Franklin was involved in a serious 4 vehicle crash which involved injuries on Interstate 83. He claimed to have blacked out prior to the accident and only remembers someone helping him from his vehicle after the crash.    

On April 25, 2012 Franklin was involved in a vehicle crash where he rear-ended another vehicle.  After the initial impact the defendant’s vehicle continued through a parking lot, through a guard rail, and then into a creek. The defendant stated he stopped taking his seizure medication because he thought he was ok, but he did admit he had been having some dizzy spells. 

On May 23, 2014 Franklin woke up with a headache but decided to drive anyway.  He drove to work and ended up driving the wrong way on a one-way street.  This caused a head on collision with another vehicle.  Once again Franklin states he had stopped taking his medication.

Investigations such as these take time. After weighing all the facts, and consulting with the York County District Attorney’s Office, the York City Police Department charged Murphy Franklin with Homicide by Vehicle from the incident on June 28, 2018.