HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- A teenage driver admitted to police he drank alcohol and ingested drugs prior to a Saturday morning crash that killed one cyclist and injured another, according to court documents.
Jeffrey Brooks, 18, of Richmond, appeared in Henrico General District Court by video and informed the judge he would be able to afford his own lawyer.
Brooks is charged with manslaughter and driving under the influence after police said he hit cyclists Jonah Holland and Natalie Rainer.
Holland, 49, died at the scene.
Rainer is being treated at the hospital after she suffered critical injuries, according to a GoFundMe set up to help cover some of the medical care costs.
Henrico Police said they responded to the crash at about 7:15 a.m. on Saturday in the area of Osborne Turnpike and Village Field Lane in eastern Henrico.
Brooks, police said, appeared to be "incredibly unsteady on his feet" and "had slurred speech, bloodshot/watery eyes, and dilated pupils even though it was bright outside," according to a criminal complaint filed in court. Brooks registered a .226 blood alcohol content (BAC) on his initial breath test in the field, according to the complaint, and later blew .15 when he was being processed. The legal BAC limit in Virginia is 0.08 for drivers 21 and older and .02 for those under 21.
Brooks told police he drank one-to-one-and-a-half beers two hours before the crash, according to court paperwork. He also admitted to making and consuming edibles the night before the crash. Police said Brooks seemed to be hallucinating during their interactions after the crash and "talking to individuals that were not present."
Brooks is due back in court in two weeks for a status hearing.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
