CLAYTON – Clayton Police have confirmed that charges are pending against a 17 year-old driver that reportedly caused a fatal crash. An innocent 63 year-old woman died in the three vehicle collision Monday around 2:45pm on Highway 70 at Financial Drive, near the main entrance to Walmart.
Clayton Police Chief Greg Tart said officers determined a 17 year-old male juvenile was operating a 2005 Toyota Camry eastbound in the left lane of Highway 70. Multiple witnesses at the scene reported that just prior to the wreck, the 17 year-old’s Camry and an uninvolved black Dodge Ram truck were driving in an aggressive manner at a high rate of speed.
While traveling eastbound, the Camry collided with a 2017 Toyota Rav4 operated by Joan Ann Drake, 63, of Clayton. Drake’s vehicle overturned and struck a 2023 Honda CRV stopped at the stop sign on Financial Drive, waiting to turn onto east bound US 70.
Drake died at the scene from her injuries.
The driver of the Honda, Ashley Alexis Roark, 26, and the 17 year-old driver of the Camry were transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Police said the 17 year-old sustained a laceration to his hand.
Chief Tart said police are continuing to investigate and reconstruct the accident. Charges are pending after the investigation is completed.
Highway 70 was shut down for about four hours while the crash was investigated.
This is very sad to read. I pray for the family of the woman who lost her life today, and I pray that the driver of the Honda is able to recover quickly. I hope that the 17 year old driver of the Camry thinks long and hard about what he did today. None of this had to happen. People, slow down when you’re driving. Our public roads aren’t race tracks.
jocosnoozer, I have to agree with you 100%. I don’t understand why kids think they can not get killed or as in this case kill someone else! Prayers for the family of the deceased and for all the injured. As far as the driver that did this, even though your 17 I hope they lock you up for a long, long time. I think of kids like you as animals!
I posted on another site that kids make mistakes – but this was not just a mistake – it was negligence. This young man should never have been “racing” another car. So sad and I’m so sorry for the family that loss their mother, sister, and wife.