Tennis player 'devastated' after wreck injures 2

CHAPEL HILL -- The UNC-Chapel Hill tennis player accused of driving drunk and striking two people with his vehicle early Sunday posted $50,000 bond today and was released from jail.

Christopher Harrison Kearney's father, Kevin, said his son and their entire family are "absolutely devastated."

"I cannot feel any worse for these girls and their parents," Kevin Kearney said today from his home in Irvine, Calif.

The victims -- UNC-CH seniors Carolyn Anne Kubitschek, 21, and Casey Marie LeSawyer, 21 -- are recovering from injuries sustained when Kearney's SUV careened off the road Sunday morning and struck them. Kearney, 20, tried to leave the scene, police said.

Kubitschek's mother said today her daughter is "doing as well as can be expected" but would not go into details about the extent of Carolyn Kubitschek's injuries or whether she had to undergo surgery.

"It will definitely be a long process," her mother said during a brief phone interview.

Pamela Postage, 19, a UNC-CH sophomore, witnessed the incident on North Columbia Street. She ran to LeSawyer's aide and comforted her while Postage's boyfriend called 911.

Postage said she visited both victims in the hospital on Sunday and they appeared to be on the mend. She said LeSawyer broke her hip and right leg.

Postage said she and LeSawyer's family talked about their feelings regarding Kearney, a sophomore. "We all just came to the consensus that we just feel sorry for him and his family," Postage said. "We know he didn't want this to happen. He made a bad decision."

Kearneywas charged with two counts of felony hit and run, driving while intoxicated, possession of fake identification, drinking underage and misdemeanor reckless driving. Kearney registered a blood alcohol level of .18, more than twice the legal limit for drivers 21 years or older.

Steve Kirschner, director of sports information for the UNC Athletics Department, said any athlete charged with a felony is immediately suspended from all "athletics-related activities" and if convicted is permanently banned from participating in athletics.

Kevin Kearney said he's not sure what the future holds for his son, who plans to withdraw from the university and return home to California.

"I think Chris will need some therapy," the elder Kearney said.

"He is in total shock, disbelief. He'll need some counseling, and he'll need the support of his friends. Chris is a wonderful kid," Kearney added, his voice breaking, "and I can't imagine what the parents of those girls are going through. Our prayers and our thoughts are just with them. We hope that everything gets better, that they make a full recovery and there are no side effects of any of this."