Sadiki Young

Raleigh — 5 Wakefield High School students and an adult were charged Friday in connection with an alcohol-related crash that killed a Wakefield student two months ago. Sadiki Young, 18, died Jan. 13 when the car in which he was riding went off Wakefield Plantation Drive and tumbled down an embankment. Christopher John Palmeiri, 18, of High Holly Lane, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving.
His blood-alcohol was .06. The car was doing about 70 when it happened. Palmieri, Young and one other student were at a house party before the wreck.
Others charged were:
Sharra McNamara, 25, of Newton Road, permitting someone to use her license.
Dylan Caldwell, 17, of 6604 Professor Court, no operator's license and restrict, delay and obstruction.
Lisa Conicelli, 17, of Wakefalls Drive in Wake Forest, underage possession of alcohol, aiding and abetting underage possession of alcohol and restrict, delay and obstruction.
Dylan Richard, 18, Falls River Ave., underage purchase of alcohol and aiding and abetting.
Jordan Birden, 17, of Honeychurch St., underage purchase of alcohol and aiding and abetting.
Megan Clifford aiding and abetting and using a fake identification.

Bill Young, Richard's lawyer, downplayed the misdemeanor charges. "These are very minor charges related simply to kids giving kids beer, which unfortunately, right or wrong, if you believe it should happen or not, happens every day".

The deaths have galvanized Wakefield High administrators and parents, who have held alcohol-education programs to raise awareness among students about the dangers of underage drinking and drinking and driving.

Bradley Paul Graves

FAYETTEVILLE - Police charged a man with drunken driving after an SUV drove the wrong way on Interstate 95 for 20 miles before causing a tractor trailer to wreck.

Bradley Paul Graves, 37, of Lumber Bridge, also was charged with driving the wrong way after the accident that happened at 12:45 a.m. Thursday. Graves was listed in fair condition at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

The wreck closed the southbound lanes of the interstate until 1 p.m., said Highway Patrol Sgt. Joel Siles. A hazardous materials team was called to clean up the site and traffic was diverted onto nearby roads around the accident scene.

The tractor trailer overturned across the highway while trying to avoid the oncoming vehicle. The truck was loaded with 6,000 gallons of a flammable chemical that Siles said is used in making deodorant.

Another car wrecked when the truck swerved into it.