Girlfriend of man operating boat faces charges after girl killed in crash
COVERAGE. YOU CAN COUNT ON.
>> JUST IN THE LAST HOUR WE
HAVE LEARNED A WOMAN IS NOW
IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION TO
THE DEADLY BOAT ACCIDENT ON
HARRIS LAKE OVER THE WEEKEND.
ANDY MURRAY, FLANAGAN, WHO IS
THE OWNER OF THE BOAT, IS
CHARGED WITH FELONY DEATH AND
IMPAIRED BOATING CAUSING
SERIOUS INJURY, AIDING AND
ABETTING AMONG OTHER CHARGES.
WE LEARNED SHE'S THE GIRLFRIEND
OF QUENTIN KITE WAS ARRESTED
AND CHARGED IN THE CASE ALREADY
WRAL'S CARLY HAYNES HAS BEEN
FOLLOWING THIS STORY. CARLY,
YOU SPOKE WITH KITES EX-WIFE
TODAY.
>> YES, AND QAEDA IS IN
CUSTODY. HE IS IN JAIL AND OR A
$500,000 BOND IN CHATHAM
COUNTY. MEANWHILE, HIS
GIRLFRIEND IS IN CUSTODY OVER
IN MOORE COUNTY. NOW, I WANT TO
TELL YOU THAT A BOATING WHILE
IMPAIRED WASN'T ALWAYS A FELONY
IN NORTH CAROLINA. IN FACT,
THAT WAS ONLY CHANGED JUST A
FEW YEARS AGO.
>> A WEEKEND INCIDENT ON HARRIS
LAKE HAS GRABBED NATIONAL
ATTENTION A 10 YEAR-OLD KILLED
AND A WOMAN SERIOUSLY INJURED
WHEN A BOATER DROVE THROUGH A
GROUP OF SWIMMERS.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE DRIVER
QUINTON KITE HAD BEEN DRUNK AT
THE TIME.
>> I'M STILL IN SHOCK AND SAD.
I'M SICK. I HAVE A LITTLE GIRL
THAT AGE. HE HAS A LITTLE GIRL
THAT AGE. I NEVER THOUGHT THIS
WOULD HAPPEN. KITES EX-WIFE
MICAELA TRUJILLO SPOKE WITH US
FROM NEW MEXICO.
>> SHE STILL KEEPS IN TOUCH
WITH HIM. I KNEW JUST FROM
THINGS THAT HAPPEN. IN THE PAST
THAT HE DID LIKE TO DRINK A
LOT. IT WAS KIND OF THE
NORMALIZED THING IN OUR GROUPS
IN OUR FAMILY ISN'T.
YEAH, I KNOW ABOUT THAT BUT
NEVER ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
IT'S NOT KITES FIRST RUN-IN
WITH THE LAW. HE BONDED OUT OF
JAIL FOR AN ONGOING FELONY HIT
AND RUN CASE IN MOORE COUNTY
2 YEARS AGO.
>> HE ALSO HAD A DUI CONVICTION
IN NEW MEXICO IN 2010,
INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING THAT
YOU HAVE A REPEAT OFFENDER.
>> CONTINUING TO BE ALLOWED TO
BE IN POSITIONS TO CONTINUE
OFFENDING AND TO CONTINUE
VICTIMIZING PEOPLE IN NORTH
CAROLINA LAW INCREASE THE
PUNISHMENT FOR IMPAIRED BOATERS
A FEW YEARS AGO.
>> BUT PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY
JOHN MCCABE SAYS THERE'S STILL
WORK TO DO TO BRING BOATING
OFFENSES IN LINE WITH MOTOR
VEHICLES. YOU CAN GET DWI BE
CHARGED WITH A DWI. HAVE YOUR
LICENSE IF A PLEA REVOKED, YOU
CAN STILL DRIVE A BOAT. NOW
A LOCAL CRASHES SPARKING
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DRUNK
BOATING IS TREATED IN THE EYES
OF THE LAW.
>> IT WAS OUR AS FLANAGAN GOES.
IT'S POSSIBLE HER FIRST COURT
APPEARANCE WILL BE
TOMORROW AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE,
WE REACHED OUT TO THE MOORE
COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY ASKING
WHY THERE HAVE BEEN SO MUCH
TIME BETWEEN THAT HIT AND RUN
CHARGE VERSUS IT GOING TO
TRIAL. WE DIDN'T HEAR BACK, BUT
WE DID HEAR FROM OTHER
ATTORNEYS WHO SAID IT'S NOT
UNUSUAL FOR CASES LIKE THAT TO