Ruling on dismissal of aggravated DUI charge in McBride fatal crash case delayed to Friday

March 29, 2022 | By David Adam, MRN Editor

Natasha McBride | Photo courtesy of Adams County Jail

QUINCY — Judge Amy Lannerd has delayed her ruling as to whether an aggravated driving under the influence charge should be dismissed in the case of the Quincy woman accused of killing four people in a 2020 crash.

Natasha McBride, 37, returned to Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday morning for a status hearing. An evidentiary hearing on the motion, requested by Chief Public Defender Todd Nelson and closed by Lannerd, was conducted March 23. The motion remains sealed.

“I appreciate that both sides are anxious for a ruling on the motion, and I am cognizant of the fact this matter is set for jury to start on April 11,” Lannerd said. “I have carefully been reviewing the file and all of the information presented and working diligently on the issue to issue a ruling on that motion, but I do require some additional time.”

She said she will “leave the matter set” for jury pre-trial at 11:30 a.m. Friday. The case remains on the April jury trial docket.

The Adams County state’s attorney’s office filed the aggravated driving under the influence charge Jan. 12. Nelson previously argued prosecutors could have filed the charge earlier, saying it was based off evidence turned over in December 2020.

McBride faces four counts of murder in connection to the Aug. 14, 2020, deaths of Jenniffer Hendricks, 54, of Rushville, and Dakota Corrick, 6, Archer Corrick, 4, and Ransom Corrick, 21 months. The Corrick boys were Hendricks’ grandchildren. They lived in Kirksville, Mo.

McBride allegedly ignored a traffic light at Fourth and Broadway while driving at a high rate of speed, causing the crash. The Quincy Police Department said in its crash report that McBride admitted to smoking marijuana shortly before leaving in her vehicle. She also faces four counts of reckless homicide, four counts of driving on a revoked license and four courts of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

McBride remains in the Adams County Jail on $5 million bond.