Child dies, 3-year-old seriously hurt after DWI driver slams into truck, NC cops say
An 8-year-old died and a 3-year-old was left in critical condition after a crash in North Carolina, officials said.
Two other kids in the car also were seriously hurt after police said an impaired driver slammed into the back of a parked truck on Tuesday, June 21.
Now, the woman accused of driving the children is charged with DWI. The Lexington Police Department in a news release didn’t list attorney information for the driver, identified as Amber Brooke Whitaker.
Whitaker was behind the wheel of a Pontiac sedan at about 10 a.m. when she almost hit a pedestrian and rolled through a stop sign, WGHP reported. She’s also accused of running into a N.C. Department of Transportation truck, which was clearing storm debris in the Fairview Drive area, roughly 25 miles south of Winston-Salem.
“Whitaker failed to stop for the NCDOT crew, who had one lane of travel blocked and were utilizing flashing caution lights on their vehicles and a stop/slow sign to direct traffic through the work area,” police wrote.
Officers said all four children inside Whitaker’s car at the time of the crash were injured. As of June 23, an 8-year-old passenger had died, and a 3-year-old remained in critical condition at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem.
Whitaker was the mother of two of the injured kids, who were 3 to 15 years old, according to officials.
Police told news outlets Whitaker reported taking methadone, a drug used to relieve pain and help people withdrawal from drug addiction. An overdose can cause a person to be sleepy or unresponsive, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Officials said Whitaker propped herself against objects to maintain her balance, slurred her words and nodded off when police asked her questions, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.
“In addition to DWI, Whitaker is also being found by investigators to have contributed to the crash by failing to reduce speed, and careless and reckless driving,” Lexington police wrote in their news release.
Whitaker, who is also accused of driving with a revoked license, was arrested and booked into jail. The 35-year-old was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court in July, according to officers.
An investigation is ongoing, and police ask anyone with tips to call them at 336-243-3302 or Lexington Area Crime Stoppers at 336-243-2400.
The Lexington Police Department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on June 24.
This story was originally published June 24, 2022 at 9:31 AM with the headline "Child dies, 3-year-old seriously hurt after DWI driver slams into truck, NC cops say."
