Swisher teen killed in rollover was drunk, texting

A teenager who died in a rollover crash near Cedar Rapids was legally drunk and was using his cell phone when he lost control of the vehicle, authorities said Tuesday.

Drake D. Whitters, 19, of Swisher, was killed when the car he was driving on June 9 went off Walford Road, just west of 34th Street SW. Investigators said the westbound car went off the gravel road around 3:15 a.m. and came to rest on its top in the south ditch.

A passenger in the car, 16-year-old Jason M. Velvick, of Swisher, was injured in the crash but survived.

Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner said toxicology tests showed Whitters' final blood alcohol level was 0.181 percent, more than twice the legal limit. Gardner said the chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is found in marijuana, was also present in his system.

Investigators also determined Whitters was either composing a text message or attempting to read one at the time of the crash, based on his cell phone records and Velvick's statements.

"Any one of them could have caused him to lose control, but certainly the combination of the three increased his chances of losing control," Gardner said.

After the crash, Velvick went to get help and made contact with a nearby resident, but then went home, Gardner said. Investigators were not able to confirm where Whitters and Velvick were going.

While the consequences of drunk driving have been well-documented, Gardner said texting while driving is also very dangerous.

"We all know that texting is an issue, and that's why the law exists," Gardner said. "The more distractions you have while driving, the less apt you are to have control of your vehicle."