A young mother underwent an emergency cesarean section in the hospital after being involved in a serious car crash that troopers said was caused by an impaired driver.
The wreck was reported Tuesday at 4:02pm on Highway 42 East at Creech Church Road outside of Kenly.
Trooper C.O. Best said the driver of a black Ford Explorer, 38 year-old Candice Jones Kye of Ocean Isle Beach, NC, was traveling north on Creech Church Road when she ran a stop sign at Highway 42. After running the stop sign, the Explorer struck a grey Chevy Impala traveling eastbound on Highway 42. After the impact the Explorer overturned in a ditch. The Impala came to rest in the highway.
The driver of the Impala, 28 year-old Brittany Michelle Braswell of Selma, was taken to Wake Medical Center. Mrs. Braswell, who was 32 weeks pregnant, underwent an emergency c-section. At last report, the newborn baby was in serious condition. Braswell, who was not wearing a seat belt, was seriously injured after impacting the windshield of her car. A 1 year-old child in the back seat of Braswell’s car was properly restrained in a child seat. The 1 year-old sustained only minor injuries.
Kye was transported to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, along with her 13 year-old son who was a passenger in the Explorer.
Kye was charged in the hospital with driving while impaired. Trooper Best told JoCoReport Kye’s DWI charge is for suspected drug impairment. Braswell was cited for failure to wear a seat belt.
Both lanes of Highway 42 were shut down for about 90 minutes until the wreckage could be cleared. Photos by John Payne
