On December 21, 2024, my life changed when a drunk driver hit me head-on while I was working for Amazon Flex. Despite my efforts to avoid the collision, the driver veered into my lane, causing a crash that fractured my pelvis and totaled my vehicle. I now live with two metal rods in my right hip and relied on a walker for months.

Shockingly, the driver—who had no license, no insurance, open alcohol containers, and fictitious tags—was not detained at the hospital. They were initially charged with only a misdemeanor, despite their clear impairment and the severity of my injuries.

The driver was said to have a BAC of .18.

Even more troubling, I had to personally push for the charges to be elevated to a felony. Although an arrest warrant was eventually issued, the suspect was not flagged when they appeared in court. They were mistakenly allowed to leave after showing up in the wrong courtroom, given a new court date, and then failed to appear again—still facing no immediate consequences.

The Assistant District Attorney later informed me she was not properly notified of the suspect's court appearance. To add to the problems, the highway patrol officer who wrote the incident report failed to document any injuries, even though I was extracted from my vehicle by emergency responders and transported to the hospital by ambulance. These omissions raise serious concerns about the accuracy and thoroughness of both the investigation and official reporting.

This series of failures highlights glaring weaknesses in North Carolina's DWI laws, enforcement protocols, and court reporting systems. I have repeatedly tried to engage lawmakers to push for reform, but my efforts have gone unanswered.

Driving while impaired is not a minor offense; it becomes a life-altering crime when it causes serious bodily harm. Yet, under current state law, offenders often escape immediate accountability unless they have a prior record. This leaves victims to shoulder the burden of seeking justice and exposes the public to ongoing risk.

I urge lawmakers to implement the following critical changes:

Mandatory Detention for Serious Injury DWI Offenders: Individuals who cause serious bodily harm while driving impaired should be held in custody until a court date is set, regardless of their prior criminal history. If hospitalized, law enforcement should be notified and remain responsible for the suspect's release into custody. This will ensure proper preliminary investigation and evidence gathering to access the victim's injuries.  It will also help to limit the suspect from evading capture.

Safeguards for with Fictitious Vehicle Registration and Unlicensed/Uninsured DWI Suspects: If a DWI suspect at the scene of a collision is found to have fictitious vehicle registration, no operator's license, and no insurance, they should be immediately detained for providing false information to law enforcement. If hospitalized, law enforcement must be notified and remain responsible for the suspect's release into custody.

Automatic Felony Charges in Cases Involving Serious Injury: Felony charges should be filed immediately when DWI results in significant bodily harm. Victims should not have to bear the responsibility of petitioning for upgraded charges.

Integrated and Flagged Court Reporting Systems: Court systems must be upgraded to ensure warrant flags, arrest records, and pending charges follow the offender across all courtrooms and jurisdictions. If a suspect has an active warrant, they should be taken into custody on sight, not issued another court date.

These reforms are essential not only for securing justice for victims but also for deterring future offenders. Swift and certain consequences will send a clear message that driving impaired with disregard for human life will not be tolerated in our communities.