Update: The Chandler Kania case has been continued until March.
20-year-old Chandler Kania appeared in the Battle Courtroom in Hillsborough on Tuesday morning facing three counts of second-degree murder, among other charges, relating to a fatal wrong-way crash on I-85 in July.
The case was continued until January 12, 2016. Assistant District Attorney Jeff Nieman asked for the continuance as the state is still awaiting the crash reconstruction from the State Highway Patrol.
Kania’s attorneys, Roger Smith Jr. and Wade Smith, had no objections to the request.
Chandler Kania and members of his family sat in the middle rows of the courtroom as Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour was presiding over the proceedings.
Kania is still on crutches recovering from broken bones suffered in the crash, but Roger Smith says the mental recovery will take much longer than any physical recovery for his client.
“He’s doing the best he can,” Smith says. “He’s struggling every day with what’s happened here and just struggles with his thoughts about the victims’ families here.
“His prayers go out to them. But he’s struggling every day with this.”
Smith adds that the distress permeates through all of the members of Kania’s family.
“He has real genuine concern,” Smith says, “and you can see it in his entire family’s face. They’re just doing the best they can, and they struggle day by day.”
Wade Smith says the Kania family is still concerned for the families of the victims of the crash, while also coming to the realization that Chandler will very likely be spending time behind bars.
“They think about the victims in this case as much as they think about their son,” Smith says. “I don’t think his mom has stopped weeping since this happened. They realize that this is a long journey. There’s a long way to go.
“And that their son will certainly go to prison, there’s no doubt.”
Smith adds the family remains hopeful Kania will have chance to have a life after prison that would honor the victims and their families.
Chandler Kania is accused of driving his 2005 Jeep Wrangler the wrong way on I-85 in Orange County for at least six miles before striking another vehicle head on, killing three of the four passengers. 49-year-old Felicia Harris, 46-year-old Darlene McGee and six-year-old Jahnice Beard were all killed in the crash. A nine-year-old girl suffered several broken bones as a result of the accident.
Court documents show Kania’s blood-alcohol content was a .17 the night of the crash, more than double the legal limit to drive in North Carolina, and that several of Kania’s friends had fought with Kania to take away his keys. Kania allegedly physically fought them off before leaving the fraternity house on the UNC campus.
Kania was a student at UNC and was enrolled in classes this fall at Carolina before the crash but is no longer a student. Kania was found with the identification of an older brother in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at UNC the night of the crash.
Chapel Hill restaurants He’s Not Here and La Res have been investigated by state officials for their role in the incident after records show Kania and several other underage patrons were served alcohol.
Chandler Kania has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of felony death by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by motor vehicle, and several charges related to the underage possession of alcohol and driving while impaired.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office does intend to use aggravating factors in arguments for the murder charges.
Kania was indicted on all charges in September.
His next scheduled court appearance is January 12.
Attorney Roger Smith says it is too early in the proceedings to know if a plea deal will be reached or if the case will go to trial.
Chandler Kania was released from the Orange County Jail in July after posting a $1 million bond and has been recovering at his parents’ home in Asheboro.
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