School Prank Attempt Leads To Wreck That Injures Teens

Raleigh police say that on Friday, May 29, seniors and graduates from Leesville Road High School that had packed into a pickup truck were attempting to pull off a school prank early that morning when the vehicle overturned, causing one teen to suffer critical personal injuries and resulting in DWI charges against the driver.

The students were parking a sailboat with the school’s logo and mascots and “Class of ‘09” painted on it in the school’s parking lot at approximately 2 a.m., according to Wake County public schools spokesman Michael Evans.

According to the police report on the wreck, the driver, 18-year-old Alec William Esoda, quickly accelerated to 25 mph while backing out of the parking lot onto O’Neal Road. When he attempted to turn around, the 2005 Ford rolled over and ended up on its roof, ejecting the students riding in the bed of the truck.

Police say that 18-year-old Raleigh resident Taylor Rodman Bucklin and 17-year-old Raleigh resident Ian Anthony Bunn, who were in the bed of the truck, required transport to Rex Hospital for injuries they sustained. Bunn sustained serious injuries and, as of May 30, was listed in critical condition in intensive care. Bucklin was not seriously injured.

Also injured in the crash was 19-year-old Raleigh resident Zachary Mitchel Blalock, who received treatment at the scene from EMS workers. Esoda, 18-year-old Raleigh resident Daniel Carl Walser, and 18-year-old Raleigh resident Charles Walter Blalock, who were in the cab, were uninjured.

Police suspect a delay in the wreck being reported, as the first 911 call came from Rex security, rather than the scene of the crash.

The report says that Esoda did not appear to be impaired at the scene, but a test revealed his blood-alcohol content to be 0.08, which is the legal limit.

Esoda was charged with DWI, provision, DWI, reckless driving, and felony serious injury by vehicle. Provisional DWI is a charge for drivers below the legal drinking age of 21 who are suspected of driving after consuming alcohol.