After completing an investigation into a collision that injured two teenaged pedestrians, the Chapel Hill Police Department announced it is charging a driver.

Norma Martin, a 69-year-old from Durham, faces the charge of Failure to Yield to Pedestrian in a Clearly Marked Crosswalk or Regular Pedestrian Crossing.

The charge stems from a crash along Estes Drive on New Year’s Eve. According to police, Martin was driving an SUV along the southbound lane of Estes Drive around 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Two pedestrians, ages 13 and 14, used the marked crosswalk on Estes Drive near Phillips Middle School to walk toward Caswell Road.

The police department’s investigation concluded the victims entered the marked crosswalk after drivers in the westbound lane yielded to them. Martin did not and struck the pair of teenagers.

Chapel Hill Police reported on Friday that the victims were taken to UNC Hospitals for treatment and shared updates on their condition Wednesday. The 13-year-old continues to remain in medical care with “life-threatening injuries,” while the 14-year-old continues to recover from “serious injuries” at home.

Police also shared Friday night that the driver remained at the scene following the collision.

According to North Carolina law, pedestrians have the right of way at intersections without traffic signals if they are in marked crosswalks or in unmarked crosswalks. Failure to Yield to Pedestrian charges can result in a fine and the addition of DMV points on one’s license.

According to the Chapel Hill Police Department, there were 33 Fail to Yield to Pedestrian citations in Chapel Hill in 2021, which is the highest number in over a decade. There were also 16 pedestrian-involved collisions last year, after just 13 in 2019 and 2020 combined.

In response to the incident, several residents along Estes Drive are organizing a demonstration on Friday. The group plans to advocate for pedestrian safety and more strategies to be implemented by marching down Estes Drive to East Franklin Street. The event is set to begin at 5 p.m. in the 700 block of Caswell Road.

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