GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A teenager is charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle after a crash on Bernie Road in Guilford County Wednesday afternoon.
"There was nothing I could do, I shouldn’t be here right now. I don’t wanna be here right now because I know those people blaming me for reckless driving no, no, it wasn’t reckless driving," said 16-year-old Jesus Victoria, the driver in that crash. Victoria said as he was driving, the truck began to fall apart.
Highway Patrol said Victoria, who goes by Jesse, was driving a pickup truck with James Miller, 16, and Cheveyo Locklear, 15. Troopers said Victoria drove off the road, hit a tree, and overturned.
Victoria had minor injuries but Miller and Locklear were taken to Moses Cone Hospital. Miller died at the hospital, but Locklear remains there with life-threatening injuries.
"I should’ve died. I should’ve thrown out into one million pieces but it wasn’t, it wasn’t. I would change it, I would change it for the world." said Victoria.
Victoria told WFMY News 2 that he and the other two teens were driving to his home to work on a lawnmower. His mother said she did not know they had taken her truck.
Victoria said he was driving close to the speed limit at the time of the crash.
Troopers charged Victoria with reckless driving, misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, and no operator's license. Troopers also said speed was the primary contributing factor in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing.