GATESVILLE – A Gates County Grand Jury returned true bills of indictment here Tuesday against a local woman involved in a deadly accident earlier this year.

District Attorney Frank Parrish said 35-year-old Alexandra Drake of Gates was indicted on two counts each of second degree murder and felony death by motor vehicle.

Those indictments stem from a January 17 motor vehicle accident that killed Drake’s daughter, 13-year-old Whitley Drake of Gates, and Casey Jenkins, 14, of Eure.

The accident occurred on White Oak Road (RP 1113), less than one-half mile east of Hill Lane Road (RP 1122), in Gates County. All three of the vehicle’s occupants were pinned within the wreckage. It took rescue crews in excess of 90 minutes to extricate the first victim.

North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Glenn Bunch, who initially investigated the accident, listed alcohol use by the driver and speed as contributing factors to the accident. Bunch added that neither the driver nor the front seat passenger (Jenkins) were wearing seatbelts. Whitney Drake, a backseat passenger on the driver’s side, was restrained by a seatbelt.

Parrish said the Highway Patrol conducted a more thorough investigation, including a reconstruction of the crash scene.

“I have met with the Highway Patrol officials several times regarding this case,” said Parrish, whose District 1 office covers seven northeastern counties, including Gates. “Although I am still awaiting the final written report of the reconstruction of the accident scene, I have met with the Highway Patrol in regards to that and have gone over that information. I had enough information at that point to move forward with seeking the indictments against Alexandra Drake.”

Parrish said orders of arrest were drawn against Alexandra Drake. As of 10 a.m. on Friday morning, those orders had not been served.