BLUEFIELD, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A 19-year-old woman has been charged with DUI causing serious bodily injury after a car went airborne, struck a utility pole and caught fire in Bluefield, leaving a passenger severely injured.
Natalie Leanne Bailey was arrested following the October 13 crash on Cherry Street, according to police.
A responding officer found a silver Nissan Altima heavily damaged and burning. A male passenger was lying face down some distance from the vehicle and initially appeared unresponsive. When the officer turned him over, he began crying, according to the police report.
Bluefield firefighters extinguished the fire and helped care for the passenger.
Bailey, who was beside the injured man, identified herself as the driver. Police said she admitted that she and the passenger had been drinking most of the night. She told investigators another person had promised to drive them home but fell asleep, prompting her to drive instead.
The officer reported a strong odor of alcohol coming from Bailey.
City traffic camera footage showed the Altima traveling south on U.S. Route 52 across the Cherry Street bridge before continuing uphill, according to the report. At the crest, the car became airborne, landed on the road, crossed the opposing lane and struck a utility pole head-on.
Both airbags deployed. Police reported that neither occupant had been wearing a seat belt and that several open beer cans were found inside the vehicle.
According to the report, Bailey showed multiple signs of impairment during field sobriety testing and did not provide a sufficient sample for a preliminary breath test.
She was taken into custody and transported to Bluefield Regional Medical Center for medical clearance. Bailey consented to a blood draw for testing at the West Virginia State Police laboratory. Results were not included in the report.
Medical staff told police the passenger suffered internal injuries and suspected head injuries. He repeatedly became unresponsive and required a ventilator. Hospital staff were working to stabilize him for transfer by helicopter to another facility.
Bailey faces a charge of DUI causing serious bodily injury.
