23-04-2025
Crash, charges, and controversy: Wanted woman arrested after car crashes into Charlotte home
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Charlotte woman is facing a slew of charges after crashing her vehicle into a home early Tuesday morning, according to Mecklenburg County records.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police report that Zaria Ariona Howze, 24, was behind the wheel when her vehicle slammed into a house on Cayman Way around 2:30 a.m. on April 22.
Officers responded to the scene and identified Howze as the driver. What began as an accident investigation escalated into a serious criminal case.
According to court documents, Howze had an active warrant for failing to appear in court on a previous charge. When CMPD officers placed her under arrest, they discovered she was a convicted felon and was currently driving with a revoked license due to a prior DWI.
Howze's license has been suspended since December 2024 and is not set to be reinstated until later this year, court documents state.
CMPD searched Howze's vehicle before it was towed away from the scene. During the search, officers reportedly found open containers of alcohol inside. A black purse, found in the crash debris, was confirmed to belong to Howze and contained a concealed firearm.
Court documents state that Howze admitted to CMPD that the purse was hers, but denied owning the firearm, saying 'it belonged to a friend.' However, as a convicted felon, Howze is not legally allowed to possess a gun under any circumstances, authorities said.
Officers also did a field sobriety test with Howze after they said they detected the smell of alcohol. She reportedly struggled to follow instructions and showed signs of impairment.
A breath test later revealed a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08.
According to Mecklenburg County Jail records, Howze faces the following charges:
Driving while impaired (DWI)
Driving while license revoked (DWLR – impaired revocation)
Possession of a firearm by a felon
Carrying a concealed weapon
Possession of an alcoholic beverage in a vehicle
Misdemeanor larceny
Obtaining property by false pretenses
Howze appeared in Mecklenburg County court for her first hearing on Wednesday. Her bond has been set at $10,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for this August.
No serious injuries were reported from the crash, but the investigation remains ongoing.
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