‘Please Do Not Let This Killer Walk Free’; Local Family Pleads For Justice After Killing Of Beloved Daughter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte woman is sentenced for hitting and killing a local college student back in 2020.  CMPD says 27-year-old Breanna McClain was driving recklessly along North Tryon Street when she crashed, head on, into a car driven by 18-year-old Morgan Wetherbee.  Wetherbee died 7 months later.

In court Thursday, McClain accepted a plea deal, and received a suspended sentence of up to 27 months in prison.  Wetherbee’s family spoke out in court.

“She was the strength of our family. She held her head high through difficult times and was an advocate for others,” says Melody Wetherbee, the victim’s mother.

A judge sentenced McClain to up to 27 months in prison.  That sentenced was suspended, pending completion of 3 years of supervised probation.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say 25-year-old Breeana McClain has been charged for involuntary manslaughter after detectives opened an investigation into a fatal car crash from May 7th.

Breeana Mcclain

Breeana McClain

Police say McClain was driving recklessly, speeding, and had an open container in her 2007 Nissan Maxima when she hit the driver of a 2011 Toyota Yaris Morgan Wetherbee, who died from injuries sustained in the crash on December 4th.

McClain was cited the night of the accident for reckless driving, driving while license revoked, failure to register the Nissan, failure to carry insurance, and possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage within the vehicle, according to police.

Investigators say officers responded to the collision in northeast Charlotte around 6 p.m. on May 7th where medics took Wetherbee to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries and McClain to a local hospital for minor injuires.

Detectives say McClain was driving recklessly by changing lanes multiple times and speeding northeast on North Tryon Street, when she travelled off the right side of the road and onto a gravel shoulder. When she over-corrected and lost control of the car, police say.

McClain then travelled back into the roadway, crossing over three lanes, when she ran over a raised concrete medium and travelled into the oncoming lanes of traffic, according to a news release.

Detectives say McClain continued to cross over the three lanes of oncoming traffic when she hit Weatherbee driving in her Toyota.

Since the death of Weatherbee, McClain has been additionally charged with manslaughter and is being held at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, according to investigators.

Police say the investigation remains ongoing, and ask anyone with more information to call Detective Crum at 704-432-2169 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.