A Reidsville woman facing second-degree murder charges, who failed to make a court appearance causing a judge to issue an order for her arrest, appeared in court Friday.
Andrea Leigh Forrest, 41, of N.C. 150, Reidsville, is charged with second-degree murder and aggravated felony death by motor vehicle after a Dec. 4, 2009, wreck on N.C. 87 North killed James Anderson Dodson Jr., 41, of Pelham.
She missed a court appearance Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Rob Johnson issued an order for her arrest and set her bond at $15,000.
OnFriday,hestruckthefailure-toappear order and set an unsecured bond at $2,500 because a bond was never set after she was indicted by the grand jury on the charges.
No trial date was set in the case.
Forrest was allegedly driving a Mazda Millenia north on N.C. 87 North near Gilliam Church Road at 10:05 p.m. that night when the single-vehicle crash occurred.
N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper P.M. Thornton said Forrest's speed at the time of the crash was estimated at near 70 mph in the 55-mph zone. Dodson was killed on impact. Forrest was injured in the crash and was flown to Duke Medical Center.
A blood sample was taken at the time for testing for Forrest's blood-alcohol content.
According to court documents, Thornton noted a "strong odor of alcohol" about Forrest at the scene and also wrote that her speech was slurry and that she had red, glassy eyes.
Results of the blood test didn't mention alcohol but noted the presence of citalopram -- an anti-depressant -- in Forrest's bloodstream.
At the time of the wreck, Forrest had a provisional license that precluded her from drinking any alcohol and driving because of a previous DWI conviction, according to warrants. Read More
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