A Burlington woman who was accused of driving while impaired during a car crash that killed a Southeast High School senior four days before graduation has now been indicted for second-degree murder.
An Alamance County grand jury has indicted Tracey Ann Hernandez, 38, Hispanic, female, of 127 Bannockburn Run, Burlington, in connection with the June 2 crash that killed Lily Rose Hahn, 18, of Snow Camp, according to the bill of indictment that was returned Monday, July 14.
Hahn had been scheduled to graduate from Southeast on June 6 and had been planning to attend Alamance Community College before going on earn a teaching degree, according to the funeral home that handled her final arrangements.
Hernandez was allegedly driving while impaired when she crossed the center line on N.C. Highway 87 and fatally collided with a vehicle driven by Hahn, according to her arrest warrant.
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In addition to second-degree murder, Hernandez has been charged with multiple other offenses in connection with the June 2 crash that killed Hahn, including:
- One count of felony serious injury by vehicle for allegedly causing a head injury and/or other possible injuries to her five-year-old child while driving impaired;
- Four counts of felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious physical injury to her four children (two sets of twins, ages three and five), all of whom were in the car at the time of the crash that killed Hahn;
- Driving while impaired (no blood alcohol content is currently specified in the court file);
- Driving with a revoked license;
- Reckless driving;
- Driving left of center;
- Failing to wear a seat belt;
- Failing to maintain lane control;
- Four counts of failing to restrain a child in a rear seat.
Hernandez’s driver’s license was revoked on April 28, 2025, following another crash in Orange County earlier this year. She was subsequently charged with DWI, reckless driving, and failing to maintain lane control while traveling eastbound on I-40 in a white 2021 Honda minivan.
Hernandez is alleged to have driven through construction barrels in a work zone and collided with a sheriff deputy’s unmarked patrol car while it was stopped, with its blue lights flashing, at 11:43 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, according to the citation she received in Orange County. She registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.19, nearly three times the legal limit of .08, based on a subsequent report from the State Crime Laboratory in Raleigh.
Hernandez allegedly “had a strong odor of alcohol on [her] breath” and had admitted to drinking tequila but couldn’t remember the crash, according to the citation that state trooper issued in Orange County in February. Hernandez had said she was going home to Burlington – in the opposite direction of travel, the state trooper noted on the citation.
Hernandez has been held in Alamance County jail without bond since her arrest last month, based on an order that Alamance County chief district court judge Kathryn (“Katie”) Overby entered after a first appearance in court on June 9.
Hernandez’s defense attorney, Matthew Suczynski of Chapel Hill, filed a motion on June 30 requesting bond to be set in the case. The defense attorney contended that holding his client without bond is “clearly excessive,” according to his motion for a bond modification.
“[She] has not been receiving any follow up medical care for her injuries that occurred as a result [of] the same incident that resulted in these charges including not receiving necessary medications such as blood thinners,” Suczynski asserted in his motion.
Alamance County senior resident superior court judge Andrew (“Andy”) Hanford denied the request for bond to be set for Hernandez at a hearing on Monday, July 14. She continues to be held in Alamance County jail, pending trial.
