CHARLOTTE — A man was arrested over the weekend in connection with a crash last month that killed a 17-year-old girl in east Charlotte, and court records say he was going more than twice the speed limit.
Channel 9 reported on the crash in early June, which happened on North Sharon Amity Road between Central Avenue and Hickory Grove Road.
Angelina Chicas was killed after she had just left work at Manolo’s Bakery, Channel 9 learned after the crash. Police said she was killed while trying to turn onto Sharon Amity Road.
Channel 9 obtained jail records showing that Roderick Alan Gresham, 66, had been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, and speeding in connection with the case.
According to court records, Gresham’s speed reached 90 mph just seconds before impact. Investigators learned from the car’s airbag control module that Gresham was going 62 mph when he hit Chivas’ car.
The crash happened in a 40 mph zone.
Manolo Betancur said Chicas was the same age as his son. He remembers working with her on that last night and saying goodbye to her as she left.
“Her goodbye that day was a huge, big smile,” Betancur told Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz.
Chicas had been working at the bakery for roughly two months. Her paycheck was helping her mother and young brother.
“She was always wanting to learn, she was very curious,” Betancur said.
Chicas died in the hospital from her injuries. Today, a memorial rests along the road where the crash happened, as her coworkers hope the arrest brings some sort of closure.
“This is the beginning of some justice for the family, and it’s a big message to a lot of crazy people who are driving around,” Betancur said.
Gresham was booked into jail on Saturday. He has since bonded out of jail.
On Monday, he appeared in court in a wheelchair after suffering some injuries from the wreck.
Gresham’s next court date is set for July 31.
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