The trial detailing the events leading up to a fatal wrong-way crash on I-85 last summer continue to play out in an Orange County courtroom.
Aditya “Dits” Shah, one of Chandler Kania’s fraternity brothers, testified in Kania’s murder trial on Friday that Kania “picked me up and threw me to the ground” in July 2015 before Kania drove away from the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house.
That night Kania then drove the wrong way on I-85 and struck another vehicle head-on, killing three of the four passengers in the other car.
Shah was one of several of Kania’s friends and fraternity brothers that have testified so far in the trial of the former UNC student. The testimony details several hours of drinking among a group of mostly underage individuals – many of whom were UNC students. An argument eventually started between Kania and another fraternity brother over “a couple of girls,” as it was described by Kania’s defense attorney.
The testimony through Friday described Kania as being agitated or angry after the argument and getting into his Jeep Wrangler. Several of his friends have testified so far that they tried to stop him from driving. Shah’s testimony on Friday was the first showing a physical altercation between Kania and anyone trying to keep him from leaving the fraternity house.
Shah testified that Kania “very aggressively” backed out from a parking spot and left the parking lot. Kania returned about five minutes later, according to testimony, but left again before anyone could stop him from leaving again.
Kania eventually ended up going the wrong way on I-85 and striking another vehicle. That collision resulted in the death of 49-year-old Felicia Harris, 46-year-old Darlene McGee and six-year-old Jahnice Barid.
Nine-year-old Jahnia King was the only survivor from the other vehicle but was seriously injured in the crash.
Kania’s blood-alcohol content from the night of the crash was .17, which is twice the legal limit for anyone to drive in North Carolina. Because Kania was underage at the time of the crash, any alcohol in his system while he was driving would have been illegal.
Kania has entered guilty pleas on three counts of felony death by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by motor vehicle and driving while impaired, among other charges.
The trial is proceeding on three counts of second-degree murder and one count of reckless driving.
The trial is expected to last nearly two more weeks.
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