Manteo High School senior rehospitalized after being struck in collision that ended pursuit of another driver, family says
- Corinne Saunders
- 30 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Public can donate to bank account set up for teen. Creswell driver facing new charges
Lily Bleu Mervine (right) was injured after her vehicle (left) was struck in a collision that ended a pursuit on Monday, March 2, 2026. (Photos courtesy Mervine’s family)
By Corinne Saunders
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MANTEO — A Manteo High School senior whose vehicle was struck by a speeding vehicle last Monday was rehospitalized after new symptoms arose over the weekend, according to her family. The Creswell driver charged in the incident is facing three additional charges.
Lily Bleu Mervine, 17, who goes by her middle name, was hospitalized in Norfolk, Virginia, as of publication time, according to her family.
“Bleu had a bad day yesterday [Saturday] and had to go back to the hospital and then was transported back to Norfolk General Hospital because of issues with the brain trauma she suffered,” her father, Brian Mervine, told Outer Banks Insider on Sunday.
He said they don’t know how long she will be there, but “hopefully just a few days.”
“She was having swelling in her brain,” her mother, Heidi Clifton, told Outer Banks Insider. “It was causing vertigo, vision issues and severe vomiting. Her head fracture with laceration is doing better. She is also doing well with her pelvic fracture and vertebrae fracture.”
According to her parents, anyone can donate in person to an account set up for Bleu Mervine at United Bank branches in Kill Devil Hills, Elizabeth City and Buxton. Those who want to mail a check to the United Bank account for her can send it to 3105 N. Croatan Highway, Unit 4, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948.
The teen had just left school last Monday and was heading to the beach to meet her mother to get her measurements for a prom dress when her vehicle was struck, according to Clifton.
Jessica Crystal Spear, 38, of Creswell was arrested on multiple charges following a vehicle pursuit that began in the Columbia area of Tyrrell County and ended in a four-vehicle collision in Dare County at the U.S. Highway 64 and N.C. Highway 345 intersection on Roanoke Island, locally called the Midway intersection.
While traveling east on U.S. Highway 64, Spear failed to reduce speed and collided with another eastbound vehicle, according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol’s Tuesday, March 3, press release about the collision.
“Following the initial impact, the vehicle struck by Ms. Spear subsequently collided with two additional vehicles,” the release continued. “Several drivers were transported to Outer Banks Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.”
But the Outer Banks Health Hospital in Nags Head sent Bleu Mervine to the hospital in Norfolk with serious injuries, according to her family. She was originally released the night of Thursday, March 5.
Doctors said she can’t put full weight on her left leg for four weeks and believe it will take 12 weeks for a full recovery, Clifton said.
“She has unfortunately been advised to finish her last months of high school from home,” Clifton added.
“Her recall of information and short-term memory is improving; however, she will still have to work with a trauma therapy team,” Clifton said. “She will be having lots of visits here in Virginia for her recovery appointments. Including both the physical and what is referred to as speech therapy to improve memory and cognitive skills.”
Both parents stressed how much the community support since the incident has meant to their family.
“We appreciate all the love, prayers and support for Bleu,” Brian Mervine said. “It really means a lot to her and her family. Please keep praying for her and hopefully she gets back to normal sooner than later.”
“Our community has been amazing,” Clifton said, noting that people have donated and continue to donate funds.
“Currently these funds are being used for travel expenses,” she said. “We are so very appreciative for the hand that our community has extended.”
Brian Mervine noted that the family also seeks “to bring attention to the results of people not stopping for the law and engaging in high-speed chases.”
Additional charges for Spear
Three law enforcement agencies ticketed and/or charged Spear the day of the collision, as Outer Banks Insider previously reported.
On Wednesday, March 4, the Tyrrell County Sheriff’s Office filed three additional charges against Spear: felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, misdemeanor injury to personal property and misdemeanor fail to heed light or siren.
According to the “injury to personal property” charging text, “the defendant unlawfully and willfully did wantonly injure personal property, a line of traffic cones valued at $2,500, the property of Traffic Control Systems and Equipment.”
A $25,000 secured bond was set for the three charges filed on March 4.
Separately, on Friday, March 6, Spear’s secured bond increased for the six charges the Dare County Sheriff’s Office issued to her on March 2.
Her secured bond in that case was amended to $100,000 after additional information was provided to the court because “the situation was more dangerous than previously known,” according to Spear’s March 6 “conditions of release and release order.”
Spear told a North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper that “she fled due to the govt [government] chasing her and wanting to kill herself before she was caught,” according to the N.C. State Highway Patrol citation issued to Spear on Monday, March 2.
“Def[endant] states she was off her meds and had a psychotic episode,” according to her March 3 release order.
As of publication time, Spear remained incarcerated in the Dare County Detention Center in Manteo.
Her next scheduled court hearings are in Tyrrell County District Court on Wednesday, April 15, and in Dare County District Court on Thursday, April 16.
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