Kate Boggus: The Accident

It was Thursday, April 26, 2018. An early news account republished with permission:

St. Florian police were the first on the scene of Thursday night's fatal crash north of Florence. According to a spokesman, speed was a factor in the crash which took the lives of three Wilson High School students.

The three victims reportedly died at the scene. One of the deceased male passengers was sitting in front with the driver Kate Boggus, while the other two were in back with the second female passenger. Boggus, at 16, was driving illegally with more than one non-family member in the vehicle without a parent or guardian present.

Over the past 22 intervening months, the details of the accident have been pieced to together to form a picture of unimaginable horror. From an inside account:

On April 26, 2018 four families lives were forever changed. What started out as a average teenagers hanging out with friends resulted in tragedy because of Kathleen Boggus’s choices and actions. Kaylee McGee, Tyler Nelson, Coby Hines and Braden Turner were mislead that night. The kids were told by Kathleen Boggus that she was taking them to Sonic, her treat, while all along she knew what her true intentions were and that did not involve Sonic. Her plan was to take the kids to the “Hills” to scare them. The “Hills” is located on County Road ‪30 in St.‬ Florian, Florence Alabama. This is a known hill that kids jump for “thrills”. Kathleen’s Intentions were to scare the kids by making the jump. We have audio video where Kathleen clearly lies to the kids about where they were going. 

When they reached the stop sign at County Road 30, the kids knew where they were at. They begged and pleaded saying they did not want to do this!!! They repeatedly begged Kathleen to let them out of the car. She refused, locked the doors and accelerated without hesitation. It has been documented by Officer Wilson that Kathleen was at approximately 82MPH at the hills incline and then ramped her car 30ft in the air. At the cars landing, the front passenger side axle broke, this caused the car to continue accelerating speed, veering to the left. The car took out a metal fence and a cattle gate, hitting a tree dead on at approximately 112MPH. By the time the car came to a stop, 3 lives were gone. 

Kaylee McGee was the only survivor in the back seat of the car driven by Kathleen Boggus that night. I can only imagine what she went through physically, mentally and emotionally knowing that her best friends were gone. Kaylee was unconscious for approximately 37–42 minutes. Upon waking up, Kaylee was disoriented and unable to move. Tyler Nelson’s resting place was on top of Kaylee. Kaylee was pinned in the floorboard behind Kathleen seat. Kaylee’s first memory upon waking was Kathleen hollering for her to call 911. Kaylee couldn’t get her bearings so Kathleen then said, “Pitch me your phone”. Kaylee had very limited movement but somehow pitched her phone over the seat. How Kathleen caught it, I have no idea. 

At this point, 911 was called by Kathleen. I have heard the 911 call and it’s very sketchy and extremely misleading. Kathleen was taken by ambulance to what was then ECM But later transferred by ambulance to UAB Hospital per her parents request. Kathleen’s injuries were never life threatening. Kaylee was airlifted to Huntsville Hospital. Her injuries was a broken C1, C2 and C9 vertebrate, Left femur was broken in half, 9 broken ribs, fractured pelvis, 7 broken teeth, deep laceration in the bottom of her mouth and a severe concussion. Kaylee has undergone 5 Major surgeries. She has had 2 cranial halos, and a Odontoid screw placed to secure C2. This screw lies 1/8 inch from her brain stem. Her C1 was missing bone so she had to have 5 inches of bone removed from her here to reconstruct C1 and 3 more screws placed. Kaylee has only 50% range of motion in her neck and a titanium rod in her leg, stretching from her pelvis to her knee along with several pins. 

This is only her physical injuries. She suffers greatly emotionally and mentally. She is in therapy every week and is under the care of a psychiatrist. She has been diagnosed by her psychiatrist at Integrated Behavorial Health Center with having severe PTSD and suicidal tendencies. She battles insomnia and nightmares still to this day from that night. She struggles with survivors guilt. 

Next: Legalities