Brent Adams & Associates Blog

Moped Driver Killed In Fayetteville Crash

The driver of a moped scooter suffered fatal personal injuries in a three-vehicle accident late in the afternoon on February 5 in Fayetteville.

According to a Fayetteville Police Department watch commander, the accident occurred at the intersection of Owen Drive and Southern Avenue shortly before 6 p.m.

Police say the moped driver had already died when they arrived at the scene.

As of the night of the accident, the driver’s identity had not yet been made available and police had no further details on possible injuries in the other vehicles.

Icy Roads Cause Two Multi-Vehicle Crashes In Durham

Icy roads are being blamed for a pair of multi-vehicle crashes in which at least three people suffered personal injuries in Durham on the morning of February 4.

In the first crash, which took place at approximately 5:45 a.m. on N.C. Highway 147 near Chapel Hill Street, involved six vehicles.

Police say three people involved in the crash received transport to Duke Hospital’s emergency room with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

The highway’s right two lanes were blocked, but reopened two hours later. Sand trucks were summoned to the area to help take care of the icy spots.

The second crash took place on U.S. Highway 15-501 between Cornwallis Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. No other details were immediately made available.

Willow Spring Man Killed In Angier Crash

A man from Willow Spring suffered fatal personal injuries in a crash that took place on the night of February 3 in which the vehicle he was a passenger in collided with a bridge abutment near Angier.

According to a spokeswoman from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, 20-year-old Christopher Searcy was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash and was ejected.

The crash took place at approximately 6 p.m. on Rawls Church Road, according to the spokeswoman. The driver’s name was not immediately made available.

Driver Charged After Hitting a Student Near Athens Drive

Driver Charged After Hitting a Student Near Athens Drive

A driver was cited Friday morning after hitting an Athens Drive High School student in front of the school.

Phoebe Miller, 14, was walking in a cross walk when she was struck by a Jeep. According to a report the Jeep was traveling about ten milers over the speed limit.

Lainey Kathryn Childrey, 16, of Cary was charged with speeding and failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Miller was transported to Wake Med for injuries she received.

Additional Fines Levied By State Against Robeson County Plant For Fatal Accident

A chicken processing plant in Robeson County has been fined $27,410 by North Carolina environmental authorities for improper handling of hazardous materials that resulted in an ammonia release that caused fatal personal injuries.

The leak at the Mountaire Farms Inc. near Lumber Bridge resulted in the death of 48-year-old Fayetteville resident Clifton Swain. He was a maintenance worker at the plant.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality levied the fine, which is in addition to a $73,325 fine levied against the plant by the N.C. Department of Labor last year for safety violations that led to Swain’s death.

The Labor Department said that Swain died when anhydrous ammonia leaked from a ruptured high-pressure refrigerant line as workers performed maintenance on a piece of meat-processing equipment.

According to the Air Quality division fine, the company was in violation of federal regulations designed to ensure that hazardous materials are safely handled and stored.

By rule, companies are required to develop a Risk Management Program designed to ensure that hazardous materials are properly stored, employees are properly trained on safe handling methods, and response plans for emergency releases are prepared.

The plant was fined $25,000, the maximum amount the Air Quality division is allowed to assess for a single violation, due to the severity of the incident and previous problems at the plant. Also included in the assessment was an additional $2,410 to cover the division’s investigative costs.

The investigation revealed that Mountaire failed to have a complete and proper Risk Management Program in place, despite having been previously cited for a deficient Risk Management Program. The division fined the company $4,506 in March 2008 for violating risk management rules.

Driver Identified In Angier Crash That Killed Passenger

The driver involved in a single-car crash that took place in Angier on February 3 in which his passenger suffered fatal personal injuries has been identified by the North Carolina Highway Patrol as 19-year-old Raleigh resident Robert A Porter.

According to Trooper S.U. Pae, Porter was driving along Rawls Church Road at approximately 6 p.m. when he lost control of his vehicle, which ran off the road and collided with a bridge abutment.

Pae’s report said that 20-year-old Christopher Searcy, the front seat passenger in the vehicle, was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected.

The report said Porter received transport to WakeMed hospital with serious injuries. However, a WakeMed spokeswoman said that he is not a patient there.

According to a spokeswoman for the NCHP, there have been no charges filed as of February 5.

One Killed, Three Injured In Crash Near Warrenton

Three people suffered personal injuries and one man died in an accident in which alcohol may have been involved on January 29. The crash took place at approximately 11 p.m. on Highway 401 at the Stagecoach Road intersection, approximately four miles south of Warrenton.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that 41-year-old Warrenton resident Eric George Hawkins was southbound on Highway 401 at a high rate of speed when he ran off the road, overcorrected, crossed the center line, and then spun around backward and collided with a northbound Ford Escape driven by 25-year-old Norlina resident Vernisha Latrice Gonzalez.

Also in the Escape were 33-year-old Norlina resident Cornelius Burt and 26-year-old Louisburg Octavius Jermaine Burt, who died in the crash.

Two of the victims were pinned inside the vehicles. Afton Fire Chief Joey Andrews requested two medical helicopters for assistance.

According to the NCHP’s report, alcohol is suspected to have been a factor in the crash.

Four Injured In Stage Collapse Outside Super Bowl Stadium

Four people suffered personal injuries when a small stage collapsed outside Sun Life Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIV, on February 2.

According to a news released from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, all four victims received transport to hospitals in the area that night. Two received helicopter transport and the other two were transported via ambulance. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints will play in the Super Bowl at the stadium on February 7.

Woman Requires Rescue After SUV Overturns Into Creek In Lexington

A woman required rescue in Lexington after suffering personal injuries when her SUV slid off Hedrick Mill road at approximately 8:30 a.m. and landed in a small creek on the morning of February 2.

According to a trooper from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver, 42-year-old Denton resident Angela Kim McElroy, came around a curve into a straightaway covered with snow and ice and slid into a bridge rail. McElroy’s leg was injured by the rail, which pierced the vehicle. The SUV overturned into the creek.

The Jaws of Life had to be used by emergency workers to extract McElroy from the SUV. She was wearing a seat belt.

McElroy received transport to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where she is likely to undergo a surgical procedure on her leg.

One Pinned After Colliding With Power Pole

One person suffered personal injuries, was pinned inside a vehicle, and required rescue by emergency crews after the car struck a power pole and overturned in Fayetteville on the night of February 1.

Police watch commanders say the crash took place at approximately 9 p.m. at the intersection of Moore and Hillsboro streets.

Reports say that two power poles were damaged in the collision and power lines were lying in the road and across the railroad tracks.

Twenty One Year old Killed In Accident

Twenty One Year old Killed In Accident

A 21-year-old man was killed in an accident Saturday when his vehicle went out of control on a snowy & icy road.

According to a report, Trovin McCoy, Jr. was killed when he lost control of his 2007 Nissan Versa, hitting a tree in Wilson.

Three passengers were transported to hospitals for injuries received.

One of the passengers, Thomas Parker was listed in critical condition Saturday at Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville.

All passengers were wearing seatbelts.

Snowplow Kills Pedestrian In Wayne County

Snowplow Kills Pedestrian In Wayne County

A pedestrian was struck and killed along US Highway 70 in Wayne County by a snowplow.

The incident occurred near the Johnston County line.

Mark Walston, 21 of was walking along the roadway when the state Department of Transportation snowplow struck and killed him late Saturday afternoon.

According to the NC Highway Patrol, the incident is being investigated to determine who was at fault.

One Dead, One Injured After Crash Near Winnabow

A 77-year-old man who suffered personal injuries in a crash near Winnabow on January 29 has since died at New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

According to Sgt. R.E. King of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Douglas Webster Lewis was the man who died at the hospital from the injuries he suffered. He was the lone occupant of the 2000 Chevrolet pickup truck he was driving.

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on the day of the accident, Lewis was turning left from northbound U.S. onto Zion Hill Road. He pulled out in front of a 1988 Jeep SUV and his truck overturned, coming to rest on its roof on the shoulder of the road, King said.

Lewis and the Jeep’s driver, 42-year-old Southport resident Jeffrey Wayne Jernigan, both received transport to the hospital.

Trooper M.R. Strangman said Jernigan was conscious and talking at the scene. He was the lone occupant of his vehicle. He also said Lewis was not wearing his seat belt and was partially ejected.

King said there have been no charges filed. There is no stop sign or traffic light at the intersection where the crash occurred.

Teen Injured After SUV Slides On Ice, Slams Into Her Home

On the morning of February 1, an SUV collided with a mobile home near Bessemer City after sliding on a patch of ice, causing a teenager inside the home to suffer personal injuries.

After an SUV slid on an icy patch, ran off the road, and slammed into her home, 17-year-old Miranda McDaniel was injured. The impact threw her against the wall and she became pinned.

McDaniel received transport to Carolinas Medical Center, but her condition has not been released. Her mother and 8-year-old sister were uninjured in the accident.

The crash took place on Bess Town Road, north of Bessemer City.

Rex Says 12 Treated For Sled Accidents, Including 11-Year-Old Hurricanes Singer

According to Rex Healthcare, 22 people were treated at the Raleigh hospital on January 30 with personal injuries related to the winter storm. Of those 22 injuries, 12 were related to sledding accidents, according to Rex spokeswoman Melody Hunter-Pillion.

Among those injured was 11-year-old Katherine Fritsch, who routinely sings the national anthem prior to Carolina Hurricanes games. Her father, Tom Fritsch, said she was injured while sledding with her cousin. He said he believes snow got in her eyes and they veered because of a car coming and collided with a fire hydrant.

Fritsch suffered a bad bump to the head, which made her feel woozy, so she was taken to Rex to be examined.

Tom Fritsch was at the top of the hill supervising, but no one was at the bottom, where the accident occurred. He said that should be a warning to parents to make sure an adult is watching from both the top and bottom of a hill.

Fritsch is expected to be fine, but missed singing prior to the Hurricanes’ game against the Chicago Blackhawks, which the Canes won 4-2, on January 30.

Honda Issues Recall For Jazz/Fit And City Models Over Fire Hazard

On January 29, Honda Motor Co. issued a worldwide recall for a total of 646,000 units of the Fit/Jazz and City models, including 140,000 in the U.S., due to a fire hazard that could potentially cause personal injury

According to a Honda spokeswoman, models sold in North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, and all of Asia except for Japan are under the recall.

The Fit is the best-selling model of Honda in Japan.

According to Honda, the recall was to repair a defective master switch, which could cause water to enter the power window switch, sometimes resulting in a fire.

The spokeswoman said that three reports had been received of fires caused by the defect. Two of those reports came from the U.S. and the third was from South Africa.

Man Killed In Collision Between Train And Truck In Fayetteville

On January 29, a man suffered fatal personal injuries in Fayetteville after his truck was hit by an Amtrak passenger train at a River Road crossing.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the man had apparently attempted to drive around the crossing gate.

The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was ejected from the Toyota Tundra he was driving upon impact. The NCHP said the collision took place at approximately 4 p.m.

Amtrak says none of the 159 passengers aboard the train, which was en route to Savannah, Georgia, were reported to have been injured.

Girl Injured While Sledding In Apex

According to police in Apex, a girl suffered personal injuries on January 30 while she was sledding in the Haddon Hall subdivision.

Police say the girl, whose identity has not been released, was sledding with her friends when she collided with a pole supporting a basketball backboard near 1101 Haywards Heath Lane.

Police said the girl suffered a bump to the head, but was conscious and alert while being transported to WakeMed in Raleigh.

More Than A Dozen Injured In Pasquotank County Collision Between Truck And School Bus

As of January 27, the North Carolina Highway Patrol was still attempting to determine the cause of a school bus and pickup truck colliding in Pasquotank County on January 26. The accident resulted in more than a dozen people receiving hospital transport, one of which suffered serious personal injuries.

The pickup truck’s driver, Hertford resident Brenda Daniels, received air transport to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, where she was listed in critical condition.

A 15-year-old student that was a passenger on the bus also received transport to Sentara Norfolk with possible head injuries. The student remained there as of January 27. There was no update available on the student’s condition.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the crash, a loaded Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools bus and a red pickup truck collided at the intersection of Main Street Extended and U.S. Highway 17.

Trooper Jonathan Wood said that the bus was westbound on Main Street Extended and the truck was southbound on U.S. 17.

The bus spun 180 degrees before overturning. Who was at fault for the crash was uncertain, according to Wood.

Eleven of the 42 students aboard the bus received ambulance transport to Albemarle Hospital. Their names and conditions were not made available as of January 27.

According to Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools spokeswoman Angela Noblitt, most of the students sustained minor injuries.

The bus driver, Valeria Moore, received ambulance transport to Albemarle Hospital and was later released, according to Wood.

Wood said that Daniels had been pinned in her truck. She underwent a surgical procedure on her liver.

Gaston County Man Killed In Crash 100 Yards From Home

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that a man from Gaston County suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle crash approximately 100 yards from his home on the afternoon of January 27.

According to Trooper K.L. Cornwell, 46-year-old Randy Gene Hayes drove into a curve on North Mayberry Road near Stanley at a high rate of speed shortly before 2 p.m.

Cornwell said that Hayes overcorrected, lost control, ran off the road to the right, and collided with a tree. He said Hayes died at the scene.

According to Cornwell, Hayes was estimated to have been traveling at a speed of 60 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Driver Killed In Wrong-Way Crash In Charlotte

According to Charlotte Police, a driver suffered fatal personal injuries after driving the wrong way and crashing on Wilkinson Boulevard.

The driver of a pickup truck was driving the wrong way on Wilkinson Boulevard on the night of January 27. According to another driver, they saw the truck coming at them and attempted to swerve, but instead collided head-on.

Police identified the driver of the truck as Michael Lowe. They say he was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver is expected to be OK.

Mother Charged With Murder In Crash That Killed 4-Year-Old Son

On January 27, the mother of a 4-year-old boy who died of the personal injuries he suffered in a crash in Catawba County on January 18 was arrested on a charge of second-degree murder.

According to North Carolina State Troopers, 21-year-old Tina Travis had been consuming alcohol before the crash, in which she collided with a parked car in a convenience store parking lot at the corner of Startown Road and Blackburn Bridge Road west of Maiden. Troopers said the car’s owner tried to call police, but Travis sped off, lost control of her pickup truck, and struck three trees. She and her son, Anthony Wright, were ejected from the vehicle.

At the time of the crash, Wright was standing in the front seat without a seat belt on. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Travis suffered serious injuries and was released from the hospital on January 26.

According to troopers, at the time of the crash, Travis was traveling at an estimated speed of 80-90 mph and driving without a license. Her license had been revoked due to prior DWI charge. She was convicted once in 2007 and arrested on another DWI charge in December of 2009.

Travis is currently being held in Catawba County Jail on $150,000 bond.

Multiple Injuries In Three-Car Crash In Wilmington

A January 23 multi-vehicle crash in Wilmington resulted in parts of Market Street and 16th Street being shut down and several people receiving hospital transport for personal injuries.

According to a New Hanover County dispatcher, the crash occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. and at least three vehicles were involved. One vehicle struck the White Front restaurant and another struck a nearby power pole. A third vehicle was struck by one of the other vehicles and blocked both northbound lanes on Market Street.

Ambulances and emergency responders were on the scene and several people were placed on stretchers and taken to the hospital. Family members of the people involved in the crash say their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Efland Woman Killed In Orange County Crash

A 19-year-old woman suffered fatal personal injuries on January 23 when her car ran off an Orange County interstate and collided with a stand of trees.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Mark Melvin, Efland resident Ashley Ann Terry was traveling north on Interstate 85, near the intersection with I-40 and a state weigh station, when she ran off the road.

Melvin said Terry did not brake before colliding with the trees and the Suzuki car she was driving overturned.

Melvin says speeding and alcohol are not believed to have been factors and Terry was wearing her seat belt. He said she had complained of low blood sugar, but he did not know if that was a factor.

Driven Killed When Tractor-Trailer Crashes Into River Near Graham

On January 27, a tractor-trailer driver suffered fatal personal injuries after his truck crashed on Interstate 85 South in Alamance County and traveled down an embankment, ending up in a river.

The man’s name has not yet been released by authorities.

According to reports from Greensboro’s WFMY News 2, the crash occurred at approximately 8:15 a.m. near Jimmie Kerr Road near Graham. The cab of the vehicle was submerged underwater, but crews managed to extract it.

According to what a witness told troopers, the Western Express truck, which had been transporting bottled water, stopped at a nearby Pilot gas station not long before the crash.

Fuel and bottled water spilled into the creek and State Department of Transportation officials were called in for cleanup.