Two Tennessee cheerleaders were seriously injured in an early morning crash on May 16, 2013, when a truck hit their vehicle head-on. According to a Tennessee Highway Patrol representative during testimony in the trial that started on Nov. 17, two prescription drug vials were confiscated from the accused woman's truck.
The woman is charged with driving under the influence of drugs and vehicular assault. She also faces charges of improper lane change and reckless endangerment of other individuals. The defendant admitted she took Oxycodone before the crash, and a toxicology report showed her blood level was consistent with therapeutic use. She said she fell asleep before the car crash. There was no evidence of alcohol in her system.
According to sources, the 28-year-old driver of a Chevrolet S-10 was driving to work on U.S. Highway 48 at a speed of 64 to 74 mph when it hit the cheerleader's Chevrolet Malibu at about 7:10 a.m. A witness said he was behind the S-10 and testified that the truck nearly hit two cars before colliding with the Malibu. He also said the woman was behaving erratically after the crash. One injured cheerleader suffered a fractured femur while the other was rendered unconscious. They were taken by helicopter to Vanderbilt hospital.
After a head-on collision, victims may suffer critical injuries that require extensive medical treatment for a prolonged period of time. In order to recover the expenses stemming from a crash, a victim might want to speak to an attorney about his or her case before filing a personal injury claim. If the liable driver is facing criminal charges for the incident, a lawyer could possibly build a strong case for negligence.
