18-year-old with a ‘free loving spirit’ dies after falling off golf cart, NC cops say
An 18-year-old with a “wild and free loving spirit” was known for her smile and generosity.
But Gabby Eliese Carrigan’s life was cut short after officials said she fell from a golf cart. She was rushed to a hospital and died, according to the Gaston County Police Department.
Now, an underage driver is charged with DWI and involuntary manslaughter in the case, police said Sept. 13 in a news release.
The driver first faced charges on Sept. 5, when officers said they were called at about 12:30 a.m. They responded to a scene near Mount Holly, roughly 15 miles northwest of Charlotte.
“It was reported several people were drinking and riding a golf cart in the area when someone fell off,” police wrote.
Carrigan, who was found “unconscious and not breathing,” died the next day, officials said.
She is remembered in an online obituary as a Gaston College student who “always had a smile for everyone and would light up a room.”
“Gabby was a kind and loving person that would give you the shirt off of her back, and even in death, continues to give as an organ donor,” according to a post on the Woodlawn Funeral Home website.
During an investigation, officials said they identified the golf cart driver, who was accused of drinking. He was younger than 21, the legal drinking age for alcohol in North Carolina.
The 19-year-old was booked into the Gaston County jail, where he remained as of Sept. 13 on a $300,000 bond. In addition to DWI and involuntary manslaughter, he was charged with reckless driving and “felony serious injury by vehicle,” according to police and online records.
People with information leading to an arrest could be eligible for a $1,000 reward. Gaston County police ask anyone with tips to call them at 704-866-3320 or Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 7:44 AM with the headline "18-year-old with a ‘free loving spirit’ dies after falling off golf cart, NC cops say."
