Girl, 16, critically injured in Kill Devil Hills crash

A 16-year-old girl was critically injured in a crash Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021 on U.S. 158 in Kill Devil Hills. [Kill Devil Hills police photo]

A teenage girl was critically injured and several others hurt in a Tuesday evening crash caused by an alleged drunken driver on U.S. 158 in Kill Devil Hills, police say.

The two-vehicle wreck happened at 6:27 p.m. at East Palmetto Street when a 2003 Volvo XC90 T6 sports utility vehicle operated by Merlin Garrett Cole, 23, of Colington was traveling west on East Palmetto Street and made a left turn onto U.S. 158, police said in a news release. Cole had one passenger inside his vehicle.

At the same time, a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited sports utility vehicle operated by a 17-year-old boy was traveling south in the inside lane of U.S. 158 approaching the intersection with Palmetto Street. The 17-year-old and his front passenger, a 16-year-old girl, were secured in a safety belt. A 16-year-old girl in the rear passenger seat was not secured in a safety belt. She was ejected from the Jeep, which rolled at least six times, and suffered life-threatening injuries, police said.

She was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital where she remained in critical condition on Wednesday morning.

Roadway evidence and driver statements obtained at the scene indicate that the Volvo SUV operated by Cole turned U.S. 158 without coming to a complete stop at the stop sign at the intersection with Palmetto Street, the release said.

As the Volvo entered the inside southbound travel lane it collided with the Jeep Wrangler, which caused the Jeep to flip. The front seat 16-year-old passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries and refused medical transport to the hospital. The 17-year-old male driver also had non-life-threatening injuries and refused treatment, police said.

Neither occupant of the Volvo SUV complained of injuries.

Officers were able to detect an odor of alcohol on Cole’s breath, the release said. An alcohol screening device test was administered with a positive reading. Cole was taken to the Outer Banks Hospital for a consent blood draw for testing. Criminal charges are pending.

This story originally appeared on OBXToday.com. Read More local stories here.

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