A single-vehicle crash on Teague Town Road in Bethlehem, North Carolina left three young people seriously injured after the 18-year-old driver allegedly drank alcohol given to her by a 30-year-old man who hoped it would lead to a romantic relationship with her. The vehicle crossed the centerline, struck a ditch and a utility pole, and overturned several times before the driver was ejected.
The crash happened around 8:20 p.m. on September 7, according to WACB 860AM, which reported that the impact with the utility pole knocked out electrical service for nearby residents. As reported by the Charlotte Observer, the driver, 18-year-old Cheyanne Ruiz of Catawba, was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries, while two 17-year-old occupants were transported to a local hospital, also with serious injuries. Only one seatbelt was in use among the three occupants at the time of the wreck, the Observer reported.
Alcohol Allegedly Given to Spark a Relationship
According to the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division, 30-year-old Alexander Church of Claremont gave alcohol to Ruiz because he hoped to become romantically involved with her. Per ALE, Ruiz then consumed the alcohol and provided it to the two 17-year-old occupants riding with her. The state's highway patrol found a 12-pack of Twisted Tea at the crash scene, per the ALE news release cited by the Observer.
North Carolina's ALE Division routinely opens specialized criminal investigations to trace the source of alcohol given to minors whenever a crash involving underage people results in serious injury, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. That framework explains why ALE agents launched a parallel criminal inquiry into the alcohol's source alongside the state highway patrol's investigation into the crash itself, which the Observer reported was handled by the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
Charges Filed Against Both Church and Ruiz
Church was charged with providing alcohol to an underage person and aiding and abetting the unlawful possession of alcohol by an underage person, per the Observer's reporting. Under North Carolina General Statute § 18B-302, providing alcohol to someone underage is subject to mandatory fines, community service, and possible driver's license revocation, according to Browning & Long, PLLC.
Ruiz faces a lengthy list of charges: two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, aiding and abetting underage possession of alcohol, underage possession of alcohol, underage driving after consuming, operating a motor vehicle with wanton disregard for safety, and driving while impaired, according to the Observer. North Carolina's zero-tolerance law under General Statute § 20-138.3 treats driving after consuming alcohol while under 21 as a Class 2 misdemeanor, according to King Law Offices. Because an underage driver showing appreciable impairment can be charged simultaneously under that statute and the adult driving-while-impaired law, an underage driver may face both charges, according to the Cody Law Firm.
A Pattern of Rural Road Danger
Only one seatbelt was worn among the three occupants, and the driver was ejected during the rollover — a detail that underscores the importance of restraint use. North Carolina's Graduated Drivers License program requires all occupants riding with a provisional licensee to wear seat belts at all times, per the N.C. State Highway Patrol.
Statewide, traffic-safety conditions and Alexander County's crash history provide broader context for the incident.
Bethlehem, where the crash occurred, sits roughly 55 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte, according to the Observer's reporting.
