UNC tennis player to face additional charges

Chris Kearney is expected to be charged Thursday with two counts of felonious serious injury by motor vehicle in connection with an Aug. 17 hit-and-run.

Posted 2:17 p.m. Aug 28, 2008 — Updated 3:14 p.m. Aug 28, 2008

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tennis player charged with DWI faces additional charges in connection with a hit-and-run earlier this month.

Chris Kearney, 20, of Irvine, Calif., is expected to be charged Thursday with two counts of felonious serious injury by motor vehicle, Chapel Hill police Lt. Kevin Gunter said.

Police said Kearney's SUV veered off the road in the 200 block of North Columbia Street around 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 17, hit a wall and struck two female UNC students walking on the sidewalk.

He registered a blood alcohol level of 0.18, which is more than twice the legal limit for drivers age 21 or older.

Kearney, who according to his attorney, has withdrawn from UNC for the semester, already faces two counts of inflicting personal injury, one count of felony hit-and-run causing personal injury and possessing a fake ID and one count each of driving while impaired and consuming alcohol under the age of 21.

Family members of the victims, Carolyn Anne Kubitschek, 21, of Asheville, and Casey Marie LeSawyer, 21, of Weaverville, say they are expected to miss at least the first semester of their senior year. Both were severely hurt and suffered many broken bones

Kearney was the Atlantic Coast Conference 2007 Freshman Player of the Year. He ranks second on the team for singles and doubles victories and was ranked third nationally among doubles players in fall 2007.

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