Friends and family gather to remember a Tarboro mother killed in crash

Family and friends in Tarboro held a vigil Thursday afternoon for a mother who tragically lost her life when a man crashed into her apartment during a high-speed chase.

"It hurts so bad the way she was taken away from us; it's so sad," says a family member.

Filled with grief and emotions, many gathered near Northern Street, where Jeanette Drew, a mother of two and grandmother of eight, was killed.

"She was the grandmother of my heart every time when it was time for school, she woke us up early in the morning," said Myra, granddaughter.

The incident took place on Mother's Day, around 2 a.m., while Drew was sleeping in her bed.

Reports say Tarboro police were chasing an 18-year-old that drove through a checkpoint.

During the high-speed pursuit, the driver, going 100 miles per hour, crashed into Drew's apartment, killing the grandmother and trapping her grandchildren under debris.

WRAL's Keenan Williard asked Tarboro Police Chief Rick Mann if the pursuit was justified for a high-speed chase in an area with a 45-mile-an-hour speed limit and for someone who just passed a checkpoint.

"So without going into great detail, because this investigation is still ongoing," Mann said. "The officers acted very reasonably and with good judgment here. The chase is justified."

Even though law enforcement says the chase was justified, many feel indifferent.

"It's not fair to the residents, especially in city limits," says a family member.