MOORESVILLE, N.C.—The North Carolina Highway Patrol says a 1-year-old boy was killed when the golf cart he and family members were riding in hit a pothole and overturned.
News sources report Master Trooper Jeffrey Swagger says there were three adults and four children in the golf cart on Sunday when it hit the pothole, experienced a steering malfunction and overturned north of the Trump National Golf Club on Lake Norman, approximately 35 miles north of Charlotte.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol says a 1-year-old boy was killed when the golf cart he and family members were riding in hit a pothole and overturned. https://t.co/8ZcWLUkRtY
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) May 28, 2019
The child was identified as Kipton Jester of Denver, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The others in the golf cart were ejected, except for 3-year-old girls, who were wearing seat belts.
Swagger said the survivors suffered various minor injuries. He also said it’s not likely for anyone to be charged for the accident.
In another vehicular accident, a woman who slammed into an 8-year-old girl with her car, killing the child, was sentenced to 15 days in jail on May 13.
The crash happened in September 2018 in Berea, Ohio.
Gloria Bartek, 77, hit Khloe Nida as the girl was taking milk into her house.
Bartek pleaded no contest to negligent vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor.
In addition to the jail time, Bartek’s license was suspended for five years, reported Fox 8. She was also fined $500 and put on probation. She could have received up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Bartek said a few things in the courtroom prior to the sentencing but did not apologize for killing Khloe. “I understand what the family’s going through,” she said.
Some said that Bartek didn’t seem to ever express remorse, including at the scene of the crash. Authorities said Bartek’s car was fine and haven’t explained how she rocketed across a church parking lot and a road before slamming into Khloe.
“[The] car went out of control and hit several cars and also an 8-year-old girl who ended up passing away,” Brook Park Police Chief James Foster told WKYC last year, noting authorities were probing the case.
Craig Bashein, who is representing Khloe’s family, said that the investigation ended up leaving lots of questions unanswered.
“We certainly have a lot of hard questions as to what happened and why,” he told Fox 8 in April. “From the beginning, it seems like this driver has not taken responsibility for what occurred. Immediately after the accident, she claimed a defect or a problem in her motor vehicle, that would cause her car to travel what appears to be over 200 yards at a high rate of speed.”
The family is pursuing a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Bartek.
The family also launched a GoFundMe fundraiser after Khloe’s death that is still accepting donations.
Fatal Car Crash Statistics
The Department of Transportation said in October 2018 that there were 37,133 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in 2017, a decrease of almost 2 percent from 2016. In comparison, there was an increase of about 6.5 percent from 2015 to 2016 and an increase of about 8 percent from 2014 to 2015. Pedestrian fatalities also declined by about 2 percent.
While deaths in both categories declined, officials said more can be done. “Dangerous actions such as speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence are still putting many Americans, their families and those they share the road with at risk,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Heidi King in a statement. “Additionally, we must address the emerging trend of drug-impaired driving to ensure we are reducing traffic fatalities and keeping our roadways safe for the traveling public.”
The deaths occurred over 34,247 motor vehicle crashes, resulting in 11.4 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.1 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. The highest fatality rate was in Mississippi, with 23.1 deaths per 100,000 people, and the highest death rate per 100 million miles was in South Carolina, with 1.8 deaths, according to an analysis of Department of Transportation data by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
A preliminary estimate of the first half of 2018 (pdf) showed that an estimated 17,120 people died in car crashes from January through June, which would be a decrease of about 3 percent from the previous year. The statistics indicate the fifth consecutive quarter in which traffic fatalities declined.
NTD reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to the report.
