CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A family is getting a small slice of justice after the woman who killed their loved one pleaded guilty to driving while impaired on Thursday in Mecklenburg County Court.
Last summer, 24-year-old Jayquan Reid died in a car crash. The driver of the car Reid was in pleaded guilty to driving while impaired.
Katiyah Hines was sentenced to 179 days in custody, but was given credit for the 179 days that she already served.
For the family of 24-year-old Jayquan Reid, the pain is still overflowing.
Jayquan Reid’s family said that Reid and Hines were friends, but questioned what type of friend would put their lives in danger.
“Why would you risk his life and yours?” Reid’s mother asked. “How do you sleep at night? You can’t even look at me, how do you sleep, because of your bad decision?”
In August 2022, police say Hines was driving on Pat Garrett Street, off Statesville Avenue, when she hit two parked cars on the side of the road. The car she was driving flipped and ended up on its right side.
Reid was in the passenger seat and died on the scene. After being screened for impairment, CMPD said that Hines was drunk.
“I’m truly sorry this happened,” said Katiyah Hines. “I’m deeply saddened and forever affected for the right of my life too.”
Hines stood remorseful in the courtroom Thursday as she pleaded guilty to driving while impaired. Meanwhile, Reid’s family continues to mourn the man who left behind a one and 2-year-old.
“My child is on a t-shirt, while his kid will never know him,” said Reid’s mother.
Hines made statements in the presence of law enforcement indicating that the victim pulled the steering wheel to the right, causing the crash, and the crash reconstruction performed by investigators could not rule out that explanation. As a result, the State could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hines' impairment was a proximate cause of the wreck.
Lexi Wilson: Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.