A little after midnight on October 18, a wrong-way crash left multiple people injured and two women dead.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Major Crash Investigation Unit is investigating the fatal crash, which involved several vehicles.
What First Responders Found at the Wrong-Way Crash
According to police, first responders found a Toyota RAV4, a Hyundai Venue and a Chevrolet Equinox in the roadway with heavy front-end damage. The Toyota’s rear end sat on top of the bridge railing.
Inside the RAV4, responders located Kati Covarrubias Barron in the driver’s seat and a woman in the front passenger seat. Both women were conscious.
Meanwhile, the driver of the Hyundai Venue was awake and alert. However, front-seat passenger Audrey Diamond Dawson was unconscious. Left-rear passenger My’Angel Vonshay Robinson was also unconscious. A fourth passenger, also seated in the rear, was conscious.
The Chevrolet Equinox carried three passengers, and all of them were conscious at the scene.
Driver Charged with Second-Degree Murder
Police say Covarrubias-Barron was driving on the wrong side of I-277 into oncoming traffic. Her headlights were off, and police say she was impaired. She also did not have a valid license.
WCNC reports that Covarrubias-Barron has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, along with other charges. Police say Dawson and Robinson died because of the wrong-way crash. In addition, WCNC reported that police suspect Covarrubias-Barron was impaired at the time of the multi-vehicle crash.
Families Remember Two Lives Lost
Less than a week after the crash, the families of both women connected virtually to share stories and honor them. They told WCNC they want their loved ones remembered beyond the recent headlines.
“Losing her really does hurt me and my family more than words can explain,” one loved one shared.
For Robinson’s mother, heartbreak is difficult to put into words. “My baby is gone, I want her back home,” she said.
Dawson’s aunt described her as “adventurous, ambitious and someone who built meaningful relationships with people from all walks of life.” Dawson leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter.
A Plea to Think Twice Before Driving
Loved ones on both sides are asking drivers not to get drink and drive.
“If you have got to, please call an Uber, call a friend. Call a family member. If you got to walk or just stay where you’re at, if you’re going to be drinking,” one family member said.
Shane Smith Law offers condolences to the families of the two women who lost their lives in this suspected DUI wrong-way crash.
