A woman has received a six-figure bond after being charged in connection with the death of a bicyclist in Wilmington.
Tierra Latrice Blackston's bond was set at $400,000 by a New Hanover County District Court judge at her first appearance hearing on Aug. 24. The 38-year-old Raleigh resident is charged with felony death by motor vehicle, driving while impaired, reckless driving, and driving with a revoked license. Additionally, she is charged with misdemeanor child abuse due to the presence of children in her vehicle.
Blackston's next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 10. She was appointed a public defender.
A representative for the district attorney's
office offered to go into more detail about the incident during the hearing, but the judge declined to hear more information, noting that he was not adjusting the bond that had previously been set. Court records show that Blackston had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10%, above the legal limit of 0.08%.
The charges stem from the Aug. 21 death of 69-year-old Christopher Johnston. Blackston was driving north in the 2100 block of Carolina Beach Road when her vehicle struck Johnston at 11:40 p.m., according to a Wilmington police news release from Aug. 22. He died at the scene.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Woman makes first appearance after Wilmington bicyclist death
