Woman Hits Three Pedestrians & Kills Two: Charged with Death by Vehicle

UPDATE: After further investigation on this crash, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s Major Crash Investigation Unit has determined that Ms. Bauer was traveling at least 48 MPH in the 25 MPH zone when she stuck the three pedestrians. +

This is a tragic event that should remind all of us to take care while driving! Pay attention to the road! If you cannot do two things at once, PULL OVER-- just use your turn signal while doing so!! (my biggest pet peeve as a 'transplant' is the lack of use of turn signals in Charlotte)

Sharai Bauer, 18, is charged with two counts of death by motor vehicle after she took her eyes off the road to reach down and pick up personal items that fell on her floor board.

CMPD released the following statement: On February 9, 2011 at 11:35 am, Sharai Bauer was operating a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix traveling south on Corsica Forest Drive, a residential street with a posted 25 MPH speed limit.

As Ms. Bauer approached the 13650 block of Corsica Forest Drive, her attention became diverted from the roadway towards the floor board of her vehicle where personal items had fallen. Two adult pedestrians and a child being pushed in a stroller were walking in the roadway, close to the right curb, with traffic. Ms Bauer’s vehicle then struck the three individuals as they were walking with their backs to the vehicle.

Ji Sheng Lu, 66, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Jing Lu, 37, was transported to CMC with life threatening injuries and later died. The one- year old child that was being pushed in the stroller was transported to CMC with serious injuries.

Sharai Marie Bauer was not injured in the crash. She was arrested at the scene and charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle. This crash is still being investigated and further charges could result pending the outcome of the scene reconstruction.

An ongoing focus of the investigation will be the determination of the speed that Ms. Bauer was traveling on this residential street at the times immediately preceding the crash, and during the crash itself. CMPD cannot offer an estimate of the involved vehicle’s speed at this time.

This incident is under investigation by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Major Crash Investigation Unit (MCIU). Any witnesses to this incident are being asked to call Detectives with CMPD’s Major Crash Investigation Unit at 704-432-2169.