Man charged in Pender Co. crash that killed woman

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The man who troopers said caused a deadly crash last week has now been arrested.

The crash happened Thursday night on US 17 between Hampstead and Surf City. Brittany Ann Tighe, 21, was killed when Gregory Blanks turned in front of the vehicle Tighe was in. Blanks and the driver of that vehicle, Brody Bradley, were also seriously hurt.

According to jail records, Blanks was booked this morning before 11 a.m. on charges including felony death by motor vehicle, driving while impaired and reckless driving. He was booked under a $175,000 bond. He’s due in court tomorrow morning. Troopers believe alcohol was a factor in the crash.

The StarNews reports Tighe was a recent graduate of the Cape Fear Community College police academy and Bradley is a corporal in the Marine Corps and was preparing to be deployed. The paper also reports Blanks has at least three prior impaired-driving convictions.