Following the news of charges from Chapel Hill authorities in a fatal drunk driving crash, state investigators announced additional charges on Friday — implicating more UNC students and two local businesses.
A release from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety said its Alcohol Law Enforcement officers brought charges against seven people following its initial investigation into the January 21 crash that killed 20-year-old Mary Rotunda. As emergency responders assessed the scene along North Carolina Highway 54 and Stancell Drive where the single-vehicle crash happened, investigators believed alcohol to be a contributing factor and contacted ALE, according to the release.
ALE special agents determined that the vehicle’s occupants — including Rotunda and Flemeeja Brewer, who was driving the vehicle — had been served alcoholic drinks at two Chapel Hill bars earlier in the night: Still Life, a club located in a suite at 159 East Franklin Street, and Might As Well, a bar and grill located at 206 West Franklin Street.
Two Still Life employees are charged by ALE for selling or giving alcohol to underage drinkers. 24-year-old Annelle McNair faces five counts, while 22-year-old Karissa Webb faces three counts. No Might As Well employees were explicitly named on Friday, but the release said the investigation is still ongoing.
North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement also announced charges against five others. They are identified as, and are charged with:
- 19-year-old Travis Shaw: underage possession/consumption of alcohol; five counts of aid/abet underage possession/consumption of alcohol; and an outstanding order for arrest for failing to appear in Durham County for possession of marijuana, underage possession of alcoholic beverages and unauthorized possession.
- 19-year-old Malaki Hamrick: underage possession/consumption of alcohol.
- 20-year-old Cameren Spencer: underage possession/consumption of alcohol and two counts of giving malt beverages or unfortified wine to anyone less than 21 years old.
- 22-year-old Caden Spencer: six counts of aid/abet underage possession/consumption of alcohol.
- 19-year-old: Maliyah Pellum: underage possession/consumption of alcohol and aid/abet underage possession/consumption of alcohol.
Shaw and Hamrick are each listed as UNC students in the university directory, and both match the description of UNC football players, who have profiles listed on the team’s website. They are the second and third players tied to the fatal crash, as 20-year-old Zachary Rice also faces charges announced by Chapel Hill Police on Wednesday. Pellum, Cameren Spencer, and Caden Spencer are not listed in the UNC directory.
Brewer also faces charges including felony death by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and driving while impaired stemming from the crash, while Rice — who Chapel Hill Police said was in a separate vehicle — faces his own charges of drunk driving and possessing alcohol while under 21 years old. A third person, 21-year-old Brianna Pinson, faces two counts of aiding and abetting the consumption of alcohol by an underage person, which were also announced on Wednesday.
The intersection where a January 21 crash killed Mary Rotunda in Chapel Hill. The grey marker represents the approximate area where the vehicle crashed after running off the road near the intersection. (Photo via Google Maps.)
A crash report shared with Chapelboro revealed the vehicle with Brewer, Rotunda and Pinson was driving at 124 mph eastbound on NC 54 when it struck a street sign just past the intersection with East Barbee Chapel Road. The vehicle went off of the road, struck several trees in the grassy separator between NC 54 and Stancell Drive, and rolled. Audio of 911 calls that have since been released detailed the group’s efforts to get the injured driver and passengers out of the car, calling the Durham 911 dispatch center with one of the passenger’s iPhone’s called Orange County’s 911 dispatch through its Crash Detection feature.
The crash took place at 2:23 a.m., according to the filed crash report.
As the investigation continues, ALE special agents will submit a report to the state ABC Commission to document its findings regarding the two businesses involved in the underage drinking. Friday’s release said the commission can then choose to sanction the bars through a fine, suspension, or revocation of the business’ ABC permits.
The full release from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety can be found here.
Featured photo via the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
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