ALE Charges Three In Wake County In Connection To Fatal Crash

Three Wake County residents have been charged by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agency (ALE) with contributing to an August 20 wreck in which an underage man who had been drinking at a party suffered fatal personal injury.

Charges were filed by ALE agents against 23-year-old Holly Springs resident Andrew Ryan Buhrmeister, 46-year-old Raleigh resident Mary McCoy, and 18-year-old Raleigh resident Chelsea Rae Smith. Buhrmeister was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting an underage person in possessing spirituous liquor and two counts of providing an underage person with spirituous liquor, McCoy was charged with aiding and abetting an underage person in possessing malt beverages, and Smith was charged with underage possession of spirituous liquor, aiding and abetting an underage person in possessing malt beverages, and purchasing spirituous liquor while under the age of 21.

In the accident, which occurred on Tryon Road, the driver of the vehicle, 20-year-old Holly Springs resident Max Bratton was killed. His passenger, 19-year-old Raleigh resident Ethan Herring, sustained critical injuries.

According to ALE Special Agent Mike McKeithan, prior to the accident, Bratton had allegedly consumed alcoholic beverages while attending a party at Smith’s residence. Buhrmeister purchased spirituous liquor that was at the party and McCoy, Smith’s mother, allegedly purchased beer for the party.