Woman killed when suspected drunk driver crashes into minivan

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A woman was killed when a man who fled a traffic stop and dragged a state trooper crashed into her minivan Monday night in west Charlotte, police said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said that just before 7 p.m., Adelbert Redo, 30, was driving a 2009 Lexus LS460 northbound on Interstate 85 when a state trooper pulled him over after clocking him speeding at 87 mph in a 60 mph zone.

“Vehicle stopped on left side of roadway up against the concrete median wall,” Trooper Ray Pierce said. “Upon approach, trooper was able to get driver’s license from him.”

[IMAGES: 1 killed, 3 injured in wreck near I-85 in Charlotte]

During the traffic stop, the trooper said he could smell alcohol on Redo's breath, but Redo resisted arrest and tried to get back in the Lexus, police said. He sped off, dragging the trooper who was trying to detain him.

"Trooper drew weapon, told him to place hands up,” Pierce said, “At that time, the driver returned to his vehicle the trooper attempted to remove him from the vehicle. Subject drove off dragging trooper for a short time before he disengaged."

The trooper, who suffered scrapes and cuts, did not chase Redo as the Lexus sped off northbound on I-85, investigators said.

Redo got off the interstate at Little Rock Road while driving at a high rate of speed and lost control of the Lexus. Police said the car went airborne across the southbound lanes of Little Rock Road before slamming into a Cadillac Escalade and an Audi Q5, which were both stopped at the left turn signal for southbound I-85.

The Lexus then struck a Chrysler Town & Country van driven by Teresa Villanueva Ortuna, who was traveling northbound on Little Rock Road.

Ortuna died on the way to the hospital, officials told Channel 9. Her two passengers were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

After crashing into the van, Redo climbed out of the Lexus and tried to run away, but police said an off-duty trooper who witnessed the crash, chased Redo and apprehended him several blocks away.

Detectives determined that Redo was drunk.

Troopers told Channel 9 that non-compliance is becoming a huge problem.

"The chances of you running into someone not in the best of moods and not 100 percent cooperative is on the increase," Pierce said.

Paramedics said the drivers and the passenger of the other vehicles involved were not injured.

Redo has been charged with second-degree murder, felony hit-and-run, two counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, driving while impaired, and reckless driving.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol also charged Redo with assault with a deadly weapon and resisting a public officer.

Channel 9 learned that last year, drivers refused to comply with stops leading troopers on chases 86 times. This year, there have been 102.

Last year, a wanted suspect in Gaston County attempted to run over a trooper and dragged him after a routine traffic stop.

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