Second-year College student Dorian Stacy Brown remains in critical condition at the U.Va. Medical Center after losing control of her Ford Taurus sedan and striking a tree early yesterday morning.
Both speed and alcohol were involved in the accident, however, the specifics of the incident remain unclear, according to the Albemarle County Police Department.
"Charges are pending in this case," police Sgt. Forrest Grout said. "The officer handling the case is still determining whether or not to place charges."
Brown, a 20-year-old female, was operating the 1993 four door sedan near the Rivanna Reservoir on Earlysville Road at 3:30 a.m., police officials said. While rounding a curve, Brown lost control of the vehicle and veered off the opposite side of the road, where the Ford Taurus flipped over and skidded into a tree. Emergency Medical Service workers extricated Brown from the vehicle and immediately transported her to the University hospital.
Brown had been traveling alone, going north on Earlysville Road when she lost command of the vehicle.
Asst. Dean of Students Stephanie Goodell, who is working with family and friends of Brown, referred to the accident as "very serious."
Goodell encouraged any students affected by the accident to seek out support networks.
"Any friends of Dorian are encouraged to see [the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education], or anyone in our office," Goodell said.
Each year almost 250,000 people are killed nationwide in alcohol-related accidents, while hundreds of thousands more are seriously injured, according to Albemarle County police.
"Clearly no one goes out and intends for anything bad to happen," said Susan Bruce, director of the CAPS. "But sometimes everything goes wrong instead of right, and that is what can be dangerous."
In an effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related vehicular accidents, Albemarle County police recently have initiated "aggressive detection and apprehension techniques," including random sobriety checkpoints. At these checkpoints, drivers are pulled over for a review by police. The police check the driver's license and look for obvious signs of drinking. The new checkpoint regulations have been upheld as constitutional by both the U.S. and the Virginia Supreme Courts.
Read More
Student Council votes to relocate Hereford orchard and basketball hoop
By Lauren Seeliger | 4 hours agoStudent Council passed a resolution Tuesday to relocate the orchard and basketball hoop of Hereford Residential College due to construction in the surrounding area.
Dean Rucker honored with Z Society’s highest honor, Pale Z Award
By Brendon Bordwine | 21 hours agoThe Society has a storied history of honoring University leaders with the Pale Z.
Students receive free STI testing through U.Va. Health and Wellness
By Jackie Bond | YesterdayThrough funding from Student Council, students are now able to receive free STI testing with SHW which includes tests for HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Hepatitis C.
