Resolution reached in cases related to deadly crash involving UNC students, football players

The majority of the cases related to the January 2024 crash that killed University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student Molly Rotunda have been resolved in court, including one as recently as Tuesday.

WRAL News has reported extensively on the deadly single-car crash on Jan. 21, 2024, and the underage drinking that authorities say led up to it. The investigation into the surrounding incidents resulted in charges against 10 people, including UNC students, UNC football players and two North Carolina Central University students.

WRAL News previously reported that search warrants explained a group of friends had been drinking at a football player's birthday party at a bar on Franklin Street, and that sources told us, after leaving the bar, two of the friends' cars were racing back to a Chapel Hill apartment complex.

Nine of the 10 people charged faced misdemeanor charges only, primarily related to underage drinking or consumption of alcohol. The driver of the car in which Rotunda was riding, Flemeeja Brewer, is the only defendant facing felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter. Her case is still pending.

Court records show UNC football player Malaki Hamrick's charge, for underage possession, was voluntarily dismissed yesterday, after he completed community service. 

Football player Zachary Rice's case was disposed last month. He was accused of driving the second car. He pleaded guilty to possession of alcohol by someone younger than 21, and driving after consuming alcohol. Court records show he completed 52 hours of community service and a driving course.

Football player Travis Shaw, who was accused of purchasing more than $900 in tequila for the group, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding in the underage purchase of alcohol. Four other charges related to underage drinking were dismissed.

All three football players have announced their intentions to transfer from UNC.

The case for Brianna Pinson, charged with aiding and abetting the consumption of alcohol by a person younger than 21, is still pending.

Karissa Webb, an employee of StillLife, the bar at which the group was accused of drinking, had her case resolved by deferred prosecution, according to the Orange County District Attorney.

Annelle McNair, another StillLife employee, was charged with five counts of selling/giving alcohol to an underage person. According to court records, her charges were voluntarily dismissed earlier this year after completing community service hours.

Cameren Spencer pleaded guilty to underage possession of consumption of alcohol, while two other charges related to underage drinking were dismissed.

Charges for Caden Spencer, originally charged with aiding and abetting underage possession/consumption of alcohol, were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. 

Maliyah Pellum's charges, for underage possession/consumption of alcohol and aiding and abetting underage possession/consumption of alcohol, were dismissed after completing 35 hours of community service.

Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman said while the cases received a lot of public attention, they were treated just like any others. 

"We try to be very careful not to treat it differently," he said.

Nieman said he felt justice was served in all of the resolutions to date, noting, though, that nothing in the court system will be enough to mitigate the victim's family's pain.

"It's impossible to imagine the pain her family must be going through," he said.