Elberta teen’s blood alcohol level 10 times higher than legal limit: autopsy

ELBERTA, Ala. ( WKRG ) – A forensic report showed that 17-year-old Avery Pickle’s blood alcohol level was ten times the legal limit for someone his age when his body was found in the waters of Palmetto Creek in July.

Pickle’s mother, Christina Coleman said she spoke with investigators Wednesday afternoon and couldn’t believe what they told her.

“He informed me that the toxicology came back and it was 100% clear there was no illegal substance found in Avery,” Coleman said. “But his blood alcohol level was 0.2”

In the state of Alabama, the legal blood alcohol level is 0.02 for people under the age of 21. According to the forensic report, Pickle’s BAC was not only 10 times the legal limit for teens, but also over double the legal limit for adults.

“We just don’t understand how he could have been that intoxicated,” Coleman said. “So that, that kind of hit hard.”

Avery Pickle was a senior, a standout football player, and an all-honors student at Elberta High School. His body was discovered early in the morning of July 5 in the waters of Palmetto Creek in the Perdido Beach area.

His family told WKRG that Pickle was at a party the day before, near where his body was found in the water. They said that to their knowledge he was the only minor at the party.

“To let someone get that intoxicated and not make sure they were okay. That’s just not okay. I mean, it’s not okay, especially knowing that he was a kid,” Coleman said. “They could have done something, you know, period. They could have done something.”

And while the investigation is wrapping up, his family told us that they’re still left with many unanswered questions.

“We may not ever have closure,” Coleman said. “That’s what has me not sleeping and not eating and not being able to think straight half the time, just none of it makes sense.”

“We can live with an accident, but what we can’t live with is having nobody trying to take action or calling for help,” Pickle’s sister, Alexis Fillingim said. “They should have never been serving a minor child when they knew he was a minor child.”

Investigators said they are preparing to send the findings to a grand jury that will decide if there will be any changes in this case.

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