Crime

Two Charged For Crash That Killed N.C. Mom Who Had Stopped to Help Others

Jasmine Harbison, 29, was killed on Nov. 7 in Durham, and leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter

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Published on November 19, 2021 12:41 PM

Two North Carolina motorists have been charged for their alleged roles in the Nov. 7 death of a young mom.

Jasmine Harbison, 29, a Raleigh mother of an 11-year-old daughter, was hit by a car in Durham after she and her boyfriend pulled over to help people who had been in a collision moments earlier.

The initial crash happened at about 2:30 a.m., when Makala Mcclees allegedly pulled out of a parking lot in a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox and collided with a Nissan Maxima. Several people became trapped inside the Equinox when it flipped onto its right side, according to Durham Police.

Harbison, who has an 11-year-old daughter, and her boyfriend noticed the crash, and stopped to help those involved.

As Harbison was standing to the left of the Equinox, another vehicle — also an Equinox — hit her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mcclees was charged with driving while impaired, making an unsafe movement and failure to yield the right of way.

Durham Police allege she caused the initial accident with the Maxima.

Alicia Cagle, who police allege was behind the wheel of the car that hit Harbison, was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Neither woman's age was released by police.

It was unclear if either defendant had an attorney, or had entered please to the charge before a judge.

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Harbison's mother, Judy Davis, spoke to WTVD, saying her daughter was the kind of person who was quick to help others.

"She was just a nice young lady," Davis said. "So we are truly hurt and devastated because we lost her."

Davis told the station she struggles with the unanswered questions that linger in the wake of her daughter's death.

"I don't know how the lady didn't see her outside," she said. "She hits the turned over car and she hit my daughter — like, she didn't see the turned over car? You see the car in the street and she hits my daughter? You couldn't see my daughter?"