The man who walked into traffic on northbound Interstate 77 on Sunday evening was trying to commit suicide and was carrying his 2-year-old daughter, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say.
The man and his daughter were seriously injured, and the father will face charges, according to CMPD investigators.
Police have not released the identity of the man, but several media outlets identified him as Derrick Summers. Injured was his daughter, Lizziah, whose second birthday was a month before Sunday’s incident.
According to Mecklenburg Court records, Latavia McClain, Lizziah's mother, filed a restraining order against Summers on January 5.
McClain could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, but pictures on her Facebook page show the young girl in various poses – being held by family members, wearing a pair of oversized glasses, and sleeping in a baby carrier.
Sunday’s incident set off a chain reaction of crashes on I-77 near Remount Road, injuring several other people. The freeway was closed for nearly three hours while police investigated.
According to police, the father walked into the northbound lanes of I-77 intentionally about 8:20 p.m. He was struck by a vehicle, and then several other vehicles were involved in at least two follow-up collisions. At least four other people were hurt.
Investigators say the father, whose name has not been released, will face charges of attempted first-degree murder and child abuse inflicting serious injury.
None of those hurt in the subsequent crashes had life-threatening injuries, police say. Staff researcher Maria David contributed.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Restraining order had been filed before I-77 suicide attempt with baby
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