By Staff Report
A Chipley woman was arrested Friday, October 24, in connection with a UTV crash that left a local teacher seriously injured.
According to court documents, the incident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on September 3. Authorities say 26-year-old Juliann Brook Padgett was driving a UTV on Gainer Road when she lost control and crashed. Washington County Sheriff’s deputies reported that her passenger, Katelyn Faith King, was ejected from the vehicle.
King, a local educator, was airlifted to a hospital in Dothan with multiple traumatic injuries, including two fractures to her head and two fractures to her neck at the base of her skull. Padgett was transported to a local hospital by personal vehicle for treatment of her own injuries.
Padgett has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol causing serious bodily injury to another.
Although King has been discharged from the hospital and is now home, family and friends say her recovery is far from complete.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support King’s medical expenses, rehabilitation, and daily needs. As of this writing, the fund has raised more than $20,700.
To contribute to King’s GoFundMe, you can click here.
WMBB contributed to this report.
WMBB