Driver charged with murder, hit-and-run in cyclist’s death

Authorities on Tuesday filed a murder charge against a self-described drug counselor who they say killed a cyclist while driving drunk in Newport Beach.

Neil Storm Stephany, 23, of Huntington Beach did not stop after slamming into Shaun Eagleson, a 30-year-old Fountain Valley resident, with his truck, police said.

Stephany was traveling west on East Coast Highway in the Toyota Tacoma just before 5 p.m. Sunday when he hit Eagleson, who was on a bicycle, police said.

Eagleson died at a local trauma center hours later, and Newport Beach police arrested Stephany near Newport Center Drive and East Coast Highway, about four miles from the crash.

While being booked after his arrest, Stephany told jailers he worked as a drug counselor, Newport Beach police spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella said.

Police, however, did not investigate the claim, she added.

The Costa Mesa-based recovery center Stephany purportedly works for did not return calls asking about his employment. Stephany listed the connection on Facebook.

In a February court filing, Stephany reported that he worked as a kickboxing instructor at a Costa Mesa gym.

In California, drivers who repeatedly drive drunk can be charged with murder if they kill someone after their first DUI conviction.

Stephany pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge in 2011.

In addition to murder, the Orange County district attorney’s office charged Stephany with felony hit-and-run and possession of a controlled substance, according to authorities. They said medication used to treat opioid dependence was found in the suspect’s truck.

Stephany also has a history of drug offenses, according to court records.

In 2010, he pleaded guilty to felony possession of heroin with intent to sell.

In 2013, he pleaded guilty to felony assault and possession of a controlled substance.

Earlier this month, an Orange County Superior Court judge granted a former girlfriend a restraining order against Stephany after she claimed that he repeatedly beat and strangled her and harassed her online.

Prosecutors asked that a judge set Stephany’s bail at $1 million.

He was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in Orange County Jail.

Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report.