Staff Writer

gjohnson@theeasleyprogress.com

LIBERTY - Sheriff's deputies charged three adults last week in connection to the March 9 traffic death of a Liberty teen.

Warrants are pending against a fourth adult, authorities said.

Deputies began looking into the death of 17-year-old Christopher Ryan Smith who was struck by a car and killed while walking along U.S. 123 near mile marker 9, according to sheriff's and coroner's office reports.

"The Pickens County Sheriff's Office was notified that (Smith) was possibly under the influence of alcohol. Officers of the Sheriff's Office began an investigation into this matter to determine how the minor victim was able to obtain the alcohol," said a release.

According to the incident report, Smith's half brother tried to get in touch with him after the party but was greeted over the phone by police.

The brother told deputies of a party at 103 Cadbury Drive to which he and Smith went at about 11 p.m., the report shows.

"He stated that alcohol was present," the report said, but when the brother left, Smith stayed behind.

The next morning, the brother learned that Smith "had been kicked out of the residence" around 4 a.m.

Warrants were served on three Liberty residents on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor:

Danielle Lea Moody, 24, of 113 Cadbury Drive; Douglas L. Wilson, 22, of 103 Middleton Blvd.; and Melissa Ann Smith, 40, 103 Cadbury Drive.

Each person was arrested April 9 and released on a $5,000 bond, the release said.