Gastonia man charged with DWI after 2 children seriously injured in crash

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GASTONIA, N.C. — A man has been charged with DWI after officials said he rear-ended a car carrying two small children in Gastonia Thursday morning.

[ALSO READ: Driver charged in South Carolina crash that killed 4 siblings]

The wreck happened just before 7 a.m. on Garrison Boulevard near the Schiele Museum.

Channel 9's Gaston County bureau reporter Ken Lemon learned that the children -- Jaryan Wright, 11, and Nylah Huff, 7 -- were rushed to CaroMont Regional Medical Center after the car they were in absorbed the brunt of the crash.

Police said the children were later transferred to the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte.

According to investigators, the black Nissan Sentra that the children were in was stopped at a traffic light, with Wright and Huff in the back seat. That's when a white Dodge Ram, driven by 57-year-old Clifford Scoggin rear-ended it.

The impact from the crash pushed the sedan into a Honda SUV in front of it.

Bystanders told Lemon that people stopped to help the children's mother, Amy Wright, get out of the car, but that the children were stuck in the backseat.

A woman was eventually able to help get Nylah out of the car and reassured the 7-year-old girl that help was coming.

Officials said the 11-year-old is in critical condition after he suffered a brain injury during the crash. His sister is in stable condition with cuts and bruises.

Channel 9 learned that Scoggin was driving with a revoked license and had a DWI conviction in 1998.

Lemon was at the scene and could see the Nissan's rear bumper was crushed, leaving very little of the car beyond the rear wheel.

Gastonia Police Sgt. K.C. McCabe said, "There is not a whole lot of room left in the back seat from the impact."

Officials said Scoggin and Amy Wright were injured in the crash, but are expected to be OK.

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Scoggin has been charged with DWI, driving while license revoked for DWI, two counts of felony serious injury by vehicle, failure to reduce speed and a red light violation.

Police obtained a warrant to take samples of Scoggin's blood to test for impairing substances and said additional charges may be filed.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

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