The man suspected of hitting and killing a 12-year-old boy in Decatur had a blood alcohol content that was more than twice the legal limit, according to Decatur police.
The Macon County Coroner identified Kavari Drisdell, the child who was killed after being hit while riding his bicycle Sunday night.
It happened shortly after 5 p.m., near the intersection of North Van Dyke and West King Streets.
According to police, Drisdell was riding his bicycle down N. Van Dyke Street when he was hit by a Dodge Challenger.
He was taken to the hospital and died of his injuries. The driver was a 45-year-old man named Hassan Woods. He did not sustain any injuries, but he was arrested for aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in death.
According to a sworn statement obtained by WAND News, Hassan had glassy bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol when officers approached him. They claimed his speech was slurred, and he kept repeating himself when police attempted to obtain more information from him.
Decatur police reported that Hassan’s preliminary breath sample was 0.176. The legal alcohol limit while driving is 0.08.
Police said there was a red Solo cup next to Hassan’s vehicle’s driver door, with brown liquid droplets inside that smelled like alcohol.
Hassan has a previous DUI conviction, according to Macon County court records.
In court on Monday, he was denied pre-trial release.
Members of the fatal accident investigation team arrived on the scene and are investigating the crash.
Robertson Charter School identified Drisdell as one of their students and posted on Facebook, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of one of our students, Kavari Drisdell. He was a sweet young man who was always polite and respectful. He’ll be missed. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. His mother has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his funeral expenses. If you feel moved to donate, please use the link provided below.
If your child would like to meet with our school counselor, Mr. Fields, to help them process this tragic situation, please call the school at 217-428-7072.
Reference: Police: BAC of driver who hit, killed 12-year-old boy was over twice the legal limit