Street-racing suspect blames the grandmother killed in Alabama car crash

An Alabama woman charged with murder in what police say was a street-racing incident is blaming the 52-year-old grandmother who died.

Carmesia Flannigan, 22, was racing on a Birmingham street when she plowed head first into into a vehicle driven by Brandy Ballard on Sunday morning, police say.

Flannigan, who was also charged with leaving the scene of an accident and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, was freed Tuesday on a $175,000 bond, jail records show.

Hours later, she posted a profanity-laden video dodging blame for the deadly crash, saying that “old (expletive) lady swerved into my lane.”

The seven-minute clip was removed from Facebook and later posted on YouTube, AL.com reported. It features Flannigan and her mother disputing the police department’s version of events, specifically the claims about street racing.

“Yeah, she dead,” Flannigan said in the video. “She dead, but I didn’t do it. She did it to her mother (expletive) self because she ran into me.”

Family members of Ballard, who reportedly worked as a home health care nurse, said they were incensed after seeing the videos.

“I was so mad, I cried,” her niece, Tabatha Moore, told AL.com. “It’s very frustrating. It’s humiliating. There’s no remorse.”

Police say the crash occurred just after 6 a.m. Sunday and involved four vehicles. Ballard’s vehicle was hit head on by a Chevy Camaro that crossed the center lane, WVTM reported.

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Police said Ballard died at the scene, according to the news outlet.

“The preliminary investigation suggests witnesses observed vehicles racing prior to the accident,” police said on Facebook. “It was determined one of the drivers who was reportedly racing left the scene of the accident.”

On Wednesday, a judge granted a request from the Jefferson County District Attorney after prosecutors said Flannigan violated the conditions of her bond for previous offenses in 2020 and early 2021, WVTM reported.

Ballard’s family is now calling for an end to dangerous street racing.

“I just feel like there’s a place for racing, and it’s not on the street to take innocent lives like hers,” Moore told WVTM. “Please stop. What if this was your loved one?”

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