A UNC student died in a DWI crash. What happened to those who were charged?
Several people charged in a speed- and alcohol-infused crash that killed a UNC-Chapel Hill student last year have settled their court cases.
Greensboro resident Mary Elizabeth Rotunda, 20, was killed when UNC student Flemeeja Beatrice Brewer crashed her car on Jan. 21, 2024, near the intersection of N.C. 54 and Barbee Chapel Road in Chapel Hill.
Three UNC football players were among 10 people charged in the deadly crash, along with four people who were working that night at two Franklin Street bars.
Brewer, 21, of Greensboro, and another passenger in her car, Greensboro resident Brianna Tiera Pinson, were injured in the crash. Pinson was the only person involved in the crash who was not underage, records show.
Brewer is still facing three felony charges: death by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter. She is also charged with several misdemeanors, including driving while impaired, speeding, failure to maintain lane control, driving after consuming alcohol under the age of 21, obtaining alcohol with a false driver’s license, having an open container after consuming alcohol, and reckless driving to endanger, records show.
Charges are also still pending against Pinson, 21, who was not a UNC student. She faces two counts of aiding the purchase of alcohol by an underage person, records show.
Alcohol, speeding in deadly crash
Several people charged, including Brewer, were underage at the time of the crash and had been drinking that night in Chapel Hill, police have said. Among them was then-UNC football player Zachary Rice, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Jan. 21.
Rice and two other then-UNC football players Malaki Hamrick and Travis Shaw do not appear on UNC’s spring football roster.
A criminal summons filed last year suggests police think Rice was driving behind Brewer’s car, but police have not said how they knew each other or whether they were racing at the time.
Brewer was driving about 124 mph in the 45 mph zone when she ran off the right side of the road around 2:23 a.m., a police report said. The car hit a street sign and several small trees before starting to roll. It landed on its roof in the grass near Stancell Drive and N.C. 54, the report said.
Brewer was not old enough to legally buy alcohol, according to N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement officers, who also investigated the crash. She is accused of using a fake driver’s license to buy alcohol at the Franklin Street bars Still Life and Might as Well.
ALE officers reported Rotunda also was served alcohol at the bars. They filed reports with the ABC Commission after completing their investigation, court records show. However, ABC Commission meeting reports do not show fines, suspensions or permit revocations filed against either bar in the last 15 months.
State records do show that Still Life renewed its ABC permits last month. Might as Well also renewed its permits, before they were canceled Wednesday. A new Might as Well owner and manager applied for and received temporary permits that same day, records show. No reason was listed for the change.
Dismissed charges, and a guilty plea
Others charged in connection with the crash, including the bar employees, have pleaded guilty or had their charges dismissed, court records show. They include:
▪ Zachary Rice: The former football player is still a UNC student. He pleaded guilty on March 24 to speeding, consuming alcohol while underage and driving after drinking while underage. He completed an alcohol assessment, traffic safety school and community service, receiving a prayer for judgment continued, which means he will not face any additional punishment.
▪ Malaki Hamrick: A former football player and also still a UNC student. His charge of underage possession/consumption of alcohol was dismissed April 29 after he finished community service and other requirements.
▪ Travis Shaw: A former football player, who is no longer listed in UNC’s student directory. He pleaded guilty in August and paid a $200 fine for underage possession or consumption of alcohol and aiding/abetting underage possession or consumption of alcohol. Four other counts of aiding and abetting under possession or consumption were dismissed.
▪ Karissa Webb: The employee of Still Life was charged with selling or giving alcohol to underage people. The case no longer appears in the court system, indicating it was dismissed. Orange County District Attorney Jeff Nieman declined to comment, saying the charge was expunged.
▪ Annelle McNair: Still Life employee had five charges of selling or giving alcohol to underage people dismissed in January after she completed community service and the BARS class for responsible alcohol sales.
▪ Cameren Spencer: Still Life employee pleaded guilty in November to underage possession or consumption of alcohol and received a prayer for judgment. His two other charges of giving malt beverages or unfortified wine to anyone less than 21 years old were dismissed.
▪ Caden Spencer: Still Life employee had six charges of aiding and abetting underage possession or consumption of alcohol dismissed by the district attorney’s office in October. Court files show there was a lack of evidence.
Staff writer Richard Stradling contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 2:04 PM.
