Eight months after a fatal accidentThe family of a Morehead City woman killed in the collision shared their story Wednesday as charges were filed against the driver. Tuesday.

In an interview at his church, First Baptist of Morehead City, Rev. Leonard described the night of the crash in March. “As a pastor, you are the caregiver and I have been the beneficiary,” he said. “It was turned upside down.”

The accident on March 3, 2024, followed a family dinner at Olive Garden. After dinner, Rev. Leonard, Suellen and their two children, Creed and Selwyn, planned to leave Crystal Coast Plaza to take Highway 70. Their oldest son, Pierce, drove separately.

That evening, Cody Schulz, 32, of Goldsboro, ran a red light in his 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, colliding with the Leonards’ Toyota Tacoma. The impact left one of their children seriously injured and Reverend Leonard with broken bones. Suellen Leonard did not survive. The driver now faces second-degree murder charges.

Reverend Leonard, who lost consciousness in the accident, recalled waking up five days later in hospital to learn of his wife’s fate. “There are truly no words to express the loss of your wife, your best friend and the mother of your children,” he said.

Creed, his 13-year-old son, remembers the accident. “I’m very proud of him because he experienced the greatest trauma of all from the wreck itself. I was told he climbed out the window and was asking for help,” Reverend Leonard said.

The Leonard family found strength through their community and faith. “Any one of us could list 100 things that God could have done or not done,” Rev. Leonard said, “but I come back to what God did to bring Suellen from death to life eternal.”

In honor of Suellen, who taught science and penmanship at Carteret County Community College, Rev. Leonard created a scholarship in his name. An event titled ‘Surviving the holidays‘ will be at the First Baptist Church at 810 Bridges Street on November 16 at 6:00 p.m. to bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones.