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5:37 a.m. • 2-10-12

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Crash victim was 'vibrant,' loved family


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Minnie Lee Wade
Minnie Lee Wade

Funeral arrangements are being made for an 82-year-old woman who died when her daughter-in-law's car collided with one driven by a woman accused of driving drunk over the weekend.

The wreck happened just before 4 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Brier Creek Parkway and Glenwood Avenue in north Raleigh.

Police said Linda Ratliff of Durham was driving a Dodge minivan when she turned in front of a Volkswagen driven by Suzanne Pratt of Raleigh.

Pratt's mother-in-law, Minnie Lee Wade, of Michigan, was killed. Passenger Angelene Greenard, also of Michigan, who is Pratt's stepdaughter, suffered a broken nose and bruises.

“She (Minnie) loved family get-togethers. Whenever it had to do with family being together, she loved that,” Pratt said.

Wade was visiting her son's home in Raleigh. The three women were traveling to the Brier Creek community to admire the houses when the crash happened, Pratt said.

"Mom screamed out, 'Oh my God,' and I looked up and I don't really remember too much after that,” Greenard said.

"We hit the van and then we spun a couple of times after that, and then I think we hit the van again,” Pratt said.

Police said Ratliff ran a red light and caused the wreck.

"I said, 'Mama, are you OK?' And she said, 'No no,'” Pratt said.

Wade died of her injuries.

Ratliff, who appeared in court Monday, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, DWI, not having a driver's license and a red light violation, police said.

"I thought it was a shame that she was drunk and didn't have a driver's license and we have to suffer because of that,” said Anthony Wade, the victim's son.

"She needs to realize she took a life that was very vibrant, even at 82 years old she was very vibrant. She loved life and she took that away,” Pratt said.

Wade left four children, 16 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She will be buried in Michigan.

Ratliff  was being held Monday evening at the Wake County Jail on $27,000 bond.

RELATED TOPICS: Brier Creek, North Raleigh, Wake County, Wade, Raleigh, Durham

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It will be several generations before that poor family will have a Christmas where the unexcuseable death of a honorable family member will not dampen their spirits.

A sweet woman is dead and this drunk will be placed on probation, which means nothing, except that a state employee will keep their job. whatusay

Exactly. Thats why everyone should stay off the roads tonight and stay at home. The drunks will be out in full force. If you do drive be extremely careful getting there and back home.

This is why NC pays millions of dollars every year to support a probation department that does nothing. A sweet woman is dead and this drunk will be placed on probation, which means nothing, except that a state employee will keep their job.

bnice1984, yes, it says they hit the drunk driver...however, the drunk driver ran a red light and pulled in front of them. That makes it the drunk driver's fault. Kinda hard to avoid a collision if you're going 45 mph through an intersection and suddenly a car pulls out in front of you.

And she will drive again at the first opportunity, the courts don't care one bit. This is why this happens time and time again.

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