Woman sentenced to probation for head-on crash that killed teen driver in 2020

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Breeana McClain faced a judge on Thursday for sentencing in an involuntary manslaughter case from 2020.

McClain was charged in the death of Morgan Wetherbee, who was 18 years old at the time of the crash, and 19 when she died of traumatic brain injuries.

Families on both sides of the case were emotional in court.

The crash happened around 6 pm on May 7, 2020, on North Tryon St. in Charlotte.

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According to the Wetherbee family’s attorney, McClain swerved and went across four lanes of traffic and a raised median, before hitting Wetherbee head-on.

Witnesses said she was weaving in and out of traffic and at one point using the shoulder to pass someone when she overcorrected to avoid a guardrail and lost control.

Weatherbee fought for her life for several months in a treatment facility in Atlanta but later died on September 4th.

In court Thursday, the attorney said McClain used a photo of the crash on social media to paint an inaccurate picture of what happened and gain sympathy.

“The defendant posted on social media, on Facebook and on a GoFundMe page that she had made, indicating that she was the victim of this incident,” she said.

Judge Lou Trosch stood up in court after that information was revealed and asked the attorneys to meet him behind closed doors.

“I don’t know if I will accept this or not!” he said referring to the plea deal as they exited court.

Morgan’s mother Melody was emotional when she got up to speak.

“She took what she destroyed and tried to benefit financially from our loss,” she said.

McClain took the opportunity in court to apologize to the Wetherbee family for the first time.

“I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart,” McClain said. “I know life will never be the same without Morgan.”

Morgan’s father offered forgiveness.

“I forgive her, not because of who I am, but because someone greater forgave me for who I am,” Jason Wetherbee said.

After the case adjourned, Morgan’s sister Katie spoke to reporters outside of the courthouse.

“She was the sun in our life, she was the best thing in a life,” Katie said.

While her sister says she’s not ready to forgive, she is ready to share her sister’s legacy.

“It’s not fair, but there’s nothing we can do now so our goal now is to help spread her story to prevent this from happening again,” she said.

The judge sentenced McClain to three years of probation with a suspended drivers license, under the plea deal.

He also asked that she clear up the false narrative she spread on social media.

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