Witnesses Describe the 19-year old as staggering, “out of it” after car crash
Thandisizwe Chimurenga
Day two of Ted Wafer’s trial in the death of Renisha McBride began with a picture of a “disoriented” and possibly injured McBride walking away from the scene of a car accident at least three times.
Witnesses testified that the 19-year old crashed her white Ford Taurus into a parked car in the area of Brammel and Majestic, not far from Warren, around 1 a.m on Nov. 2, 2013.
Syphonia Page, who was on her way to work, says she was in her car about to back out of her driveway when she saw McBride's car pass. Page says she saw the car crash into a neighbor's black Dodge Charger and she drove over to the scene. Calling 911, she initially identified the driver as male but changed later to say it was a female. Both in her statement to police and to the 911 operator, Page described the driver of the white Taurus as being drunk however on the stand on Thursday Page disputed that characterization, saying McBride was babbling and disoriented.
“She said she wanted go home. Twice,” stated Page.
Page's statement to police also described seeing blood on the side of McBride's face however Page disputed that also, saying she did not recall seeing any blood.
Paris Pace, sitting in a parked car waiting on her boyfriend, was located across from where the accident occurred. She says she looked up to see McBride's car coming toward her then swerve and run into the back of a vehicle. Describing McBride as “staggering” and “out of it” when she exited the vehicle, Pace says she asked McBride if she was okay and if anyone was in the car with her. She characterized McBride as not verbalizing her answers but shaking her head yes to the first question and then no for the second question.
Both Pace and Page agreed that McBride was neither belligerent, cursing or angry. Their accounts echo those of Carmen Beasley, owner of the dodge charger that McBride crashed into.
Beasley testified Tuesday afternoon that at one point McBride was walking away with both hands on her head, stating that she wanted to go home.
McBride walked away from the scene of the crash and returned two times before walking toward the direction of Warren. Her whereabouts for the next three hours or so are unknown. Around 4:40 a.m., she ended up knocking on Ted Wafer's door on Outer Drive, not far from Warren.
She would be dead from a gun shot blast within minutes.
Wafer could face a maximum of life in prison for the 2nd degree murder charge, 15 years for manslaughter, and possibly two years for the felony gun charge.
The trial is expected to last 10 days.
follow @idabeewells for up-to-the-minute trial coverage.
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Dr. Jemima Pierre is a Black Agenda Report editor and contributor.
Alec Karakatsanis is an attorney with a long history of work as a public defender.
