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Troopers investigating alcohol as cause of fatal crash

The Highway Patrol is investigating whether alcohol was a factor in a three-vehicle crash Thursday night on Kanuga Road that killed a 17-year-old student at East Henderson High School student.

The State Highway Patrol said a white BMW traveling south was attempting to pass a line of cars in a no-passing zone when the driver crashed head-on into a Chevy S10 pickup driven by Derek Miller, the EHHS senior who died in the wreck.

The Highway Patrol identified the BMW driver as Matthew Schmieder, 35. After hitting Miller's pickup, the BMW struck a Chevy Silverado pickup. That driver was not injured. Trooper Christopher Jeffries told WLOS-TV that alcohol is being investigated as a factor in the crash and said that charges are pending against Schmieder, who is currently at Mission Hospital with what Jeffries described as severe injuries.

"Obviously being left of center in a no passing zone there was some indication that there may have been some alcohol and possibly drug impairment," said Trooper Kelly Rhodes. "We obtained a blood sample and sent it off to the SBI for analysis."

Investigators met with the district attorney's office about charges, which are pending based on the blood test.

Schmieder, who was not wearing a seatbelt, had surgery Thursday night on a badly injured leg, Rhodes said. Schmieder was not supposed to be driving, the trooper added, because his license had been suspended based on an earlier driving violation. He was driving 50-60 mph in a 35 mph zone when the crash happened, Rhodes said. The accident was on Kanuga Road between Raymond's Garden Center and Crooked Creek. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene, Rhodes said.

"We were devastated to learn about the tragic accident that claimed the life of our own Derek Miller," East Henderson High School principal Carl Taylor said in a statement. "He was a kind person and a great student at East. Our hearts go out to Derek's family and friends as they mourn the loss of this young man and our thoughts and prayers are with them this holiday season."