Over $30k Raised For Victims Of Fatal Golf Cart Accident

Following the tragic news that two people had died in a golf cart accident in Statesville, North Carolina, leaving four others critically injured, two GoFundMe pages have been set up to help support the family of the victims, with around $34,000 raised in just 24 hours.

The incident, which occurred on Monday night, involved an intoxicated Honda Accord driver, whose car collided head-on with a golf cart carrying six family members near Statesville, North Carolina. The driver of the cart, 39-year-old Michael Shane Marlowe, died at the scene along with his five-year-old son, Bentley. Four other family members who were passengers on the cart were critically injured, including the driver’s daughter, Jada. 

One of the GoFundMe pages was set up by family friend Amber Boutot to help raise funds towards “medical bills, services expenses, and anything else the family might need in this time”. It has raised almost $18,000 at the time of writing. The other page, titled Jada’s Journey, explains the extent of her injuries. There have been over $16,000 in donations to the page so far. 

The injured – who are aged between two and 26 – were transported by helicopters to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem and Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

The driver of the car, 23-year-old Austin Ray Harmon of Statesville, was uninjured. He was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, two counts of felony death by vehicle, and three counts of felony serious injury by vehicle.