Police look into fatal March wreck

RALEIGH -- Police have seized a control module from a car involved in a three-vehicle accident last month that killed a 21-year-old passenger in the car and critically injured the driver.

Investigators hope the module will indicate a number of things, including how fast the car was traveling and whether the driver applied brakes at the moment of the crash. Orlando Luis McKinnon of Raleigh was killed in the early evening crash that shut down Falls of Neuse Road for several hours on March 30.

McKinnon was riding in a 2003 Cadillac CTS driven by Stephan McCall Palmer, 23, of Raleigh. Palmer also suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, according to a search warrant application made public Wednesday. Palmer was listed in serious condition at WakeMed, according to a spokesperson.

Police estimated that the Cadillac was traveling 100 mph before Palmer lost control, clipped an oncoming car and spun 180 degrees before sliding sideways into a third vehicle.

Police are considering charging Palmer with careless and reckless driving, speeding, driving while impaired, felony death by motor vehicle and assault with a deadly weapon, court records show. He celebrated his birthday on March 29, the day before the accident.