Man runs red light and kills 74-year-old driver as she leaves the mall, NC police say
A 74-year-old woman leaving the mall was killed when another driver ran a red light in North Carolina, police said.
Karen Cramer was turning south onto Independence Boulevard from Independence Mall in Wilmington on Saturday when 30-year-old Tyler Owen Smith, who was traveling north, ran a red light, the Wilmington Police Department said, according to the Wilmington StarNews.
Smith, who is accused of driving impaired, then crashed into the driver’s side of Cramer’s car, police told WWAY.
Police said Cramer was pronounced dead on the scene after crews made life-saving efforts, according to WWAY.
A passenger in her car was hurt and was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition, according to WECT. The person in a third car involved in the crash was not injured.
Smith was given a sobriety test at the scene and was arrested after he reportedly showed signs of impairment, police said, according to WECT.
Police said he has been charged with second-degree murder, “aggravated felony death by motor vehicle,” habitual DWI, driving with license revoked, impaired revocation and red light violation, the StarNews reported.
He is being held at the New Hanover County Jail with an $800,000 secured bond, WWAY reported.
No other information about the crash had been released as of Monday morning.
Wilmington is in southeastern North Carolina, about 130 miles from Raleigh.
This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 8:10 AM with the headline "Man runs red light and kills 74-year-old driver as she leaves the mall, NC police say."
