Driver charged with DWI after reportedly crashing party bus into Raleigh house

A Raleigh man is accused of damaging the front porch and wall of a house near downtown Raleigh after reportedly crashing a party bus early Saturday morning.

The Raleigh Police Department charged Gary Fidell Kearse III, 58, with seven offenses including driving a commercial vehicle while impaired and two counts of injury to real property for damaging a Pace Street house, according to an arrest warrant. Kearse allegedly drove “without due caution” and “at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger persons or property.”

Kearse was also charged with having an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of the vehicle and driving while his license was revoked for a DWI, according to the warrant. Court records show Kearse was charged with a DWI on Tryon Road near Southeast Cary Parkway on April 24.

Local media outlets reported Saturday that Kearse was driving a party bus. Video of the incident from a bystander shows a white bus near significant damage to the side of a yellow house.

Kearse was out on pre-trial release for an alleged April DWI

Kearse’s blood test from the April incident showed he allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.23, court records show. He was ordered to turn over his driver’s license by June 14 and not drive for at least 30 days.

The Cary police officer who stopped Kearse in April wrote in their findings and affidavit that they received a call about a truck stopped in the middle of the roadway with a driver asleep at the wheel, court records show. When the officer responded to the scene, they found Kearse, who allegedly had red, glassy eyes, slurred his speech, struggled with his balance and admitted to drinking.

Kearse has not been convicted of a DWI, and he is awaiting trial on his April charges, court records show. He filed a motion on April 29 seeking to suppress evidence collected from the incident, alleging that police did not have a reasonable suspicion to stop him.

On June 27 around 3:05 a.m., Kearse was allegedly involved in a separate incident on Glenwood Avenue near West Peace Street, court records show. He was cited for a hit-and-run and failure to stop after inflicting property damage, driving while his license was revoked and driving without liability insurance, court records show.

As for the alleged DWI offense on Saturday, Kearse is being held without bail, court records show. His next court hearing is set for Monday.

Twumasi Duah-Mensah

The News & Observer

Twumasi Duah-Mensah is a Breaking News Reporter for The News & Observer. He began at The N&O as a summer intern on the metro desk. Triangle born and Tar Heel bred, Twumasi has bylines for WUNC, NC Health News and the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media. Send him tips and good tea places at (919) 283-1187.