Cate Edwards unharmed in car accident

‘She was hit from behind by a drunk driver,’ her dad says

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updated 7:34 a.m. ET Jan. 15, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A car driven by the daughter of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards was hit by another auto, but she wasn't injured.

The other driver, Carol Small of Durham, was cited by police for driving while impaired. The accident occurred while Cate Edwards was driving in downtown Chapel Hill on Friday afternoon, according to a police report.

"She was hit from behind by a drunk driver," John Edwards said when asked about the accident following a town hall event in Pawleys Island, S.C. "She's doing fine."

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The report didn't list a blood alcohol level for Small. She wasn't injured, but was also cited for failing to reduce speed and operating a vehicle in a negligent manner. The Orange County court clerk's office said a court date of March 4 was set for Small at a first appearance hearing Monday.

A phone number listed for a Carol Small in Durham was disconnected, and the clerk's office said the paperwork gave no name for an attorney for her.

Edwards' presidential campaign is based in Chapel Hill, about 30 miles northwest of Raleigh. Campaign spokesman Eric Schultz described the accident as minor and said Edwards was unharmed.

In 1996, the Edwardses' 16-year-old son, Wade, died in a car accident. Wade Edwards was driving with a friend to the beach in North Carolina when a strong wind blew his Jeep off the road and it flipped over.