Tabor athletes face felony charges after drag racing crash
Staff writer
Two Tabor College athletes were charged Thursday with felonies stemming from a November wreck that happened when they were drag racing on Industrial Rd. at Hillsboro.
Abigail D. Schmidt, 18, Caldwell, a freshman forward on Tabor’s basketball team, was racing a Dodge Charger that collided in the US-56 intersection with a pickup driven by Matthew W. Bishop, 31, Moundridge.
Bishop’s Dodge Ram came to rest on its side in a ditch. He was taken to Via Christi – St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.
The Charger had a smashed hood and front fender and a wheel out of place.
It spun 180 degrees and stopped facing south. Schmidt later was taken to Hillsboro Community Hospital by private vehicle.
Zachary A. Aldrete, 18, Welasco, Texas, a freshman on Tabor’s golf team who was racing against Schmidt, fled the scene after the accident. His car was not involved in the collision.
Schmidt is charged with aggravated battery, reckless driving, unlawful racing on highways, speeding, driving left of center, stop sign violation, and conspiracy to commit unlawful racing on the highway.
Aldrete is charged with aggravated battery, failure to remain at the scene of an accident, reckless driving, unlawful racing on highways, speeding, stop sign violation, and conspiracy to commit unlawful racing on the highway.
If convicted on the felony aggravated battery charge, the sentence could range between 7 months’ probation to 23 months in prison, depending on any criminal history they have.
The other charges are misdemeanors and traffic infractions, which could result in fines and time in jail.
Both are scheduled to make first appearances in court March 22.