A 17-year-old girl accused of crashing her vehicle into an Indiana home Wednesday night, killing to two girls inside, may have been high on opiates, authorities says.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office said the teenager was arrested and they have asked the prosecutor to charge her with criminal recklessness resulting in death. She could face more serious charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated if opiates in her system are confirmed, Fox 59 reported.
According to authorities, the crash happened just before 9:30 p.m. in the home of Dennis and Bridget Fullerton. When sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, they found a white vehicle inside the living room.
Two sisters, 17-year-old Haleigh and 9-year-old Callie, were watching television when the car crashed into the house. They were killed on impact, authorities said.
Bridget Fullerton was walking into the living room when the crash occurred. She was flown to an Indianapolis-area hospital for treatment. Her condition is unknown.
In a GoFundMe account, the two sisters were described as “beautiful ladies” who “touched every heart they came in contact with.”
Investigators said there were three other juveniles in the car at the time of the crash. They were treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene.
It’s unclear what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. Authorities said she was traveling at 80 miles per hour and traveled about 100 feet off the roadway before hitting the home.
“This is very traumatic for the county and for everyone involved,” Clinton County Sheriff’s Maj. Joe Mink told the Clinton County Daily News. “It’s just hard to swallow. It’s a very traumatic event on the whole department, the firemen and the emergency responders. I can’t give them enough credit.”
The prosecutor’s office will determine if the 17-year-old driver will face charges as an adult.
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