Attorney Blog

Collision Between Motorcycle And SUV In Greensboro Leaves One Dead, One Critically Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38493 — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A collision between a motorcycle and an SUV in Greensboro on the night of September 3 left one man dead and one woman with critical personal injuries.

According to Greensboro police, shortly after 6 p.m. a Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Robert Privette Jr. collided with a Toyota 4-Runner while attempting to turn left into an apartment complex.

Investigators say that Privette received transport to Moses Cone, where he was later pronounced dead.

Officers say Debra Smith, a passenger on the motorcycle, remains in the hospital with critical injuries.

Information on the condition of the SUV’s driver, Alexander Earle, was not immediately made available.

The crash remains under police investigation.

Former Buncombe Sheriff's Lieutenant Killed In ATV Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38494 — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that a retired Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant died of the personal injuries he suffered when his ATV was struck by a truck near Marshall on September 3.

Shortly before 4 p.m., 58-year-old Anthony “Tony” Charles Case was exiting his residence on N.C. 208 near the border of North Carolina and Tennessee and did not see the truck before the collision. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The truck was driven by 64-year-old Hickory resident Larry Johnson.

Case was a veteran of Vietnam and Korea and worked for the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and as a criminal justice instructor at AB Tech.

Bicyclist Injured In Cary Hit-And-Run

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38495 — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to Cary police, on the night of September 4, a bicyclist suffered personal injuries in a hit-and-run collision at North Harrison Avenue and Chapel Hill Road.

The cyclist, 26-year-old Cary resident Gustavo A. Angalo received transport to WakeMed in Raleigh. His condition was not immediately made available.

Police say the suspected vehicle is a dark-colored, four-door sedan with the South Carolina license plate numbered DZB807.

The accident, which took place at about 9:45 p.m., resulted in Chapel Hill Road being shut down for a short time between Academy Road and North Harrison Avenue.

Vass Motorcyclist Killed In Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38496 — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 33-year-old man from Vass suffered fatal personal injuries on September 4 after losing control of his motorcycle, which ran off the road and collided with a tree in Moore County.

A dispatcher with the North Carolina Highway Patrol said that Antonio Almendarez was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident occurred at about 1:45 p.m.

The dispatcher said that at the time, Almendarez was southbound on State Road 2021, approximately six miles east of Vass. He was rounding a curve when he lost control of the vehicle, veered off the road to the left, and collided with a tree.

Millions Awarded to Construction Worker

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38438 — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Brooklyn construction worker was struck by a Verizon truck near his home nearly four years ago. A jury awarded Matthew Falcone $40 million for his damages. The verizon truck was going 50 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone and hit him and he was left with brain damage and partially paralyzed. Mr. Falcone was left in a coma for weeks and was not expected to remain alive.

Verizon tried to argue that Falcone was at fault when he "stuck his head out into the road from behind an elevated train pillar" and that only a side-view mirror struck him. But the jury saw "photos of the truck's shattered windshield and headlights, which indicated the collision was much more severe." Verizon may appeal the decision.

Lawsuit Settled with Children of a Flight Nurse

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38436 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A lawsuit has been settled on behalf of the two children of a flight nurse who was killed in a helicopter crash. Mrs. Sandra Pearson was killed along with the pilot and a paramedic when the rotor came off their Bell 206 Longranger before it crashed in a field outside of Burney, about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis. The lawsuit was filed by the National Bank of Indianapolis on behalf of the nurse's two children

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) discovered that a flawed main rotor blade had shattered just after taking off.

The multi-million dollar settlement will be deposited into Pearson's children's trust accounts until they turn 18. Pearson had two children, Gabrielle, 8, and Garrett, 10.

Pedestrian Killed In Fayetteville Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38451 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A pedestrian suffered fatal personal injuries in Fayetteville while trying to cross Cedar Creek Road on the night of September 2.

According to the Fayetteville Police Department, 82-year-old Peter Bricker III was crossing the road near Bureau Drive when a car driven by 40-year-old Charlotte resident Douglas Thaggard struck him shortly before 8:30 p.m.

Police say Bricker was not in a crosswalk at the time, his next of kin have been notified, and the accident remains under investigation.

3-Year-Old Injured By Blown Tire From Passing Tractor-Trailer Dies

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38452 — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 3-year-old boy who suffered personal injuries from being struck by a blown tire from a passing tractor-trailer on September 1 died of those injuries the following day.

According to a North Carolina Highway Patrol spokeswoman, 3-year-old Dillion Perez-Andrades had been at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill since the accident took place shortly after 7 p.m. on September 1.

Investigating Trooper D.E. Raynor said that Perez-Andrades had been playing with a group of other children approximately 30 feet from the highway when the tire blew on a passing tractor-trailer. The tire came off the rim, rolled into the yard, and struck the boy.

Raynor said the truck’s driver, Alcolou, South Carolina resident Phillip Oliver, heard and felt the tire blow and stopped to examine it.

NCHP Says Yield Violation Likely Cause Of Fatal Carteret County Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38387 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a yield violation is likely to have been the cause of a two-vehicle accident on August 28 in which two teenagers died and six others suffered personal injuries in Carteret County.

On the day of the accident, 18-year-old Bahama resident Miles Moorman was southbound in a 1999 Honda passenger vehicle on Harkers Island Road, approximately 10 miles east of Beaufort, when he attempted to turn left at a “Y” intersection with Straits Road. A 1998 Chevrolet SUV driven by Beaufort resident Christopher Yeomans collided with the Honda.

Moorman and his front seat passenger, 18-year-old Durham resident Brantley Pearce, died in the accident. His back seat passenger, 18-year-old Durham resident Kristen Michelle Terry and 17-year-old Durham resident Kimberly Ann Frey, sustained severe injuries and received transport to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. As of August 30, they were listed in good condition.

Also in Yeomans’ vehicle were his wife, Kathy Yeomans, his daughter, 14-year-old Caroline Yeomans, and 14-year-old Jaden Fulcher. They all received transport to Carteret General Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. According to several reports, Kathy Yeomans suffered two broken legs.

The NCHP said that the cause was likely to have been Moorman failing to yield the right of way. Speed and alcohol are not considered to have been factors.

Passenger Killed In Goldsboro Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38388 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 25-year-old woman from LaGrange suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle accident on Salem Church Road in Goldsboro on the evening of August 31, according to police.

The victim, 25-year-old Anecia Neal, was a passenger in a 2001 Acura driven by LaGrange resident Michael Kevin McGee.

According to police, McGee lost control of the vehicle while driving at a high rate of speed. The Acura collided with a utility pole before finally coming to a stop in a dense, wooded area.

Neal received transport to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

The accident remains under investigation.

Investigation Conducted After Fayetteville Police Car Hits Pedestrian

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38389 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

An August 31 incident in which a pedestrian narrowly avoided personal injuries after being struck by a Fayetteville police officer’s patrol vehicle is now under an administrative investigation.

A police spokesman said that 39-year-old Fayetteville resident Kyle Payne was hit by a patrol car driven by 23-year-old Officer Jonathan Smith. At the time, Smith was turning left onto Grove Street from B Street. The incident took place shortly before 4 p.m.

Police say that at the same time, Payne was crossing Grove Street in the same direction. According to a witness, he was not initially in the crosswalk, but apparently realized he was not and tried to move into it.

The spokesman said that Payne said he believed Smith was going to go in front of him on Grove. Instead, Smith cut short behind the pedestrian. The spokesman said that Payne said he then jumped back onto the hood of the vehicle.

Only minor damage was inflicted to the vehicle.

According to a spokesman, Smith has been a member of the Fayetteville Police Department since November 2007. He will remain on patrol as the investigation is conducted.

3-Year-Old Shannon Boy Injured By Blown Tractor-Trailer Tire

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38390 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST

On September 1, a 3-year-old child suffered personal injuries when a blown-out tire from a passing tractor-trailer struck him.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper D.E. Raynor, 3-year-old Dillon Andrades sustained severe injuries while playing in the front yard of a residence on N.C. 71 in Shannon, approximately one-half mile south of Shannon Road. The incident took place shortly after 7 p.m.

Raynor said that at the time, Andrades was playing with a group of children approximately 30 feet from the highway when a tire from a passing tractor-trailer driven by Alcolou, South Carolina resident Phillip Oliver blew out. The tire came off of the rim, rolled into the yard, and struck Andrades.

According to Raynor, Oliver was southbound on N.C. 71 at a rate of about 40 mph when he heard and felt the vehicle’s front tire blow. He then pulled the truck over to the side of the road. Upon exiting the vehicle in order to inspect the damage, he heard people yelling from a nearby residence.

Andrades received transport to Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton. He was then airlifted to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. According to a hospital spokeswoman, he was still in the emergency room as of 10:30 p.m. the night of the incident and no medical condition was immediately made available.

Raynor said the tire was fairly new and had been placed on the truck the week before the accident.

Motorcyclist Killed In Collision With Deer In Statesville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38260 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Taylorsville has died of the personal injuries he suffered when his motorcycle collided with a deer on Linney’s Mill Road in Statesville early on the morning of August 30.

The driver, 38-year-old Robert Andrew Pruitt, was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he was later pronounced dead.

According to Trooper M.B. Childres of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Pruitt was riding a 1991 Harley-Davidson motorcycle at around 3 a.m. when the motorcycle struck a deer in the road, ejecting him.

Childres said that it doesn’t appear that Pruitt had been traveling at an excessive speed, but he was not wearing a helmet approved by the Department of Transportation. He sustained massive head injuries in the accident.

Pedestrian Struck By Fayetteville Police Car

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38261 — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man suffered personal injuries on August 31 when he was struck by a Fayetteville police car at the intersection of Grove Street and B Street.

The officer driving the patrol vehicle that struck the man has not yet been identified.

Reports say that the incident took place around 4 p.m.

Police say the pedestrian was not believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries. Police are continuing to investigate the accident.

Robeson County Accident Claims Rowland Woman

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38121 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a 23-year-old from Rowland suffered fatal personal injuries in a two-vehicle crash early on the morning of August 29 on N.C. Highway 710 in Robeson County.

According to the NCHP, 23-year-old Krista Lee Deese was killed when her vehicle was struck on the driver’s side by a southbound vehicle at about 3 a.m.

The accident’s cause remains under investigation.

Two Durham County Teens Killed In Carteret County Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38122 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the night of August 28, two teenagers from Durham County were killed and two others suffered serious personal injuries in a two-vehicle accident in Carteret County.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, 18-year-old Bahama resident Miles Moorman and 18-year-old Durham resident Brantley Scott Pearce died in the accident, which took place at the intersection of Straits and Harkers Island roads.

Trooper Gene Johnson reported that at around 8:30 p.m., Moorman turned his 1999 Honda Accord into the path of a 1998 Chevrolet SUV that was towing an approximately 18-foot-long boat. Two 17-year-old girls in the back seat of Honda, Durham residents Kristen Michelle Terry and Kimberly Ann Frey, sustained serious injuries and received air transport to Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

The driver of the SUV, 45-year-old Christopher Yeomans, who is the principal at Smyrna Elementary School in Carteret County, and his daughter, 14-year-old Caroline Yeomans, were released from Carteret General Hospital after undergoing treatment. Yeoman’s wife, 49-year-old Kathy Yeomans, sustained two broken legs and received transport to Pitt Memorial. Johnson also said that 14-year-old Stacy resident Jaden Fulcher was injured in the accident and was admitted to Carteret General with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

Otway Fire Chief Chris Brock said that he’s seen multiple accidents at the intersection in his eight years as chief. However, he said that this was the first one with fatalities.

Roseboro Woman Killed In Accident Near Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38190 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a 33-year-old woman from Roseboro suffered fatal personal injuries on the night of August 27 in a single-vehicle accident south of Fayetteville.

According to the NCHP, a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Stephanie Jane Thomas crossed the center line on N.C. Highway 210. She overcorrected and the vehicle ran off the road to the left, hit a ditch and collided with a fence and tree before finally coming to a stop.

Thomas was the lone occupant of the vehicle.

As of August 29, troopers said the cause of the accident remained under investigation.

Man Fatally Attacked By Goat

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38191 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to officials, an 88-year-old Georgia man suffered fatal personal injuries in an attack by an unusual animal. The man was fatally attacked outside his north Georgia home by a goat.

According to Madison County Coroner Michelle Cleveland, 88-year-old Vestal Davis was pronounced dead at Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens, Georgia on August 28.

According to a report from the Madison County, Georgia sheriff’s office, Davis told a deputy that he had gone outside when he was charged by a neighbor’s goat and knocked to the ground repeatedly.

The deputy said that the owner of the goat, a 69-year-old neighbor, said the animal escaped from its pen, but he wasn’t aware of the attack.

Cleveland said the district attorney would determine charges, if any are to be filed.

Two Injured In Crash Involving School Bus In Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38106 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Three vehicles were involved in an accident that included a school bus in northwest Charlotte on the afternoon of August 27, causing two to suffer personal injuries.

The accident took place at about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Moores Chapel Road and Kendal Drive.

It was confirmed by a Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools spokesperson that Bus #872 was transporting 24 students from Harding and Phillip O. Berry High Schools at the time. None of the bus’ occupants were injured.

A red pickup truck apparently rear-ended the school bus and a silver passenger car apparently crashed into the pickup’s rear.

MEDIC said that two patients received hospital transport.

The accident remains under the investigation of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Woman Dead In Charlotte Crash Involving S.C. Trooper

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38107 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman suffered fatal personal injuries in Charlotte in an accident involving a South Carolina Trooper.

According to police, 81-year-old Lancaster resident Laxiben Patel died after a collision between the van she was riding in and the patrol vehicle of Trooper Eugene “Buck” Kennington.

Investigators said that Kennington was on his way to the scene of a crash that took place at about 11:30 p.m. on the night of August 25. The accident he was involved in took place at the intersection of Highway 521 and East North Corner Road.

Kennington and four others in the van suffered personal injuries in the crash. Information about their conditions was not immediately made available.

The accident remains under investigation.

Driver Injured In Raleigh Collision With House

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38108 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the morning of August 28, a driver suffered personal injuries after a collision between the driver’s car and a house in Raleigh.

According to police, the accident took place on Chatham Lane at about 6 a.m.

After colliding with the house, the red Ford Escort overturned, coming to rest on its side.

The driver of the Escort received transport from paramedics to a hospital in the area.

Further details, including the driver’s identity and condition, were not immediately made available.

Man Looking For "Ghost Train" Killed By Real Train In Iredell County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38109 — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Early on the morning of August 27, a man who was with a group of about 12 people looking for a legendary “ghost train” in Iredell County suffered fatal personal injuries when he was struck by a real train.

The incident took place on a train trestle near Buffalo Shoals Road around 2:45 a.m.

The train was rounding a curve on Bostian’s Bridge over Third Creek nearly two miles west of Statesville.

Iredell County Sheriff Phillip Redmond said that 29-year-old Christopher Kaiser was pronounced dead at the scene and two others were injured. Kaiser’s body was located down a steep incline below the trestle.

The two injured persons received air transport to a local hospital. Their condition was not immediately made available.

Sheriff’s officials say witnesses said they were at the scene hoping to see a “ghost train” and believed the real train to be that train.

The sheriff said the incident took place on the anniversary of a train wreck that took place at the same location on August 27, 1891. Since that fatal crash, a legend came about of a ghost train playing out the deadly scene on each anniversary.

Durham Accident Leaves One Dead, Three Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38015 — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Durham died and three others suffered personal injuries on the evening August 25 in traffic accidents on Interstate 85 in Durham, also causing traffic to be shut down for nearly three hours, according to police.

According to Durham police spokeswoman Kammie Michael, 35-year-old Michelle Lee Smith received helicopter transport to Duke Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Smith was a passenger in Chevrolet Lumina that collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer that had been involved in a previous accident in the southbound lanes of I-85 near Roxboro Road, according to Michael.

Traffic investigators say the first accident took place shortly after 5 p.m., when a southbound tractor-trailer driven by 58-year-old McComb, Mississippi resident Lawrence Dixon Jr. apparently tried to change lanes and struck a southbound 2003 Jaguar driven by 53-year-old Durham resident Dwight Edward Mason.

The impact caused the Jaguar to spin in front of the truck and collide with the right side of a southbound 1995 Chevrolet van driven by 29-year-old Hillsborough resident Jason Elijah Tabares.

About three minutes later, the Lumina, driven by 63-year-old Durham resident Betty Ellis Stephenson, struck the rear of the truck. Witnesses say Stephenson hit the brakes and swerved as an attempt to avoid the collision.

Mason and a passenger in his vehicle, 47-year-old Durham resident Sallie Diane Mason, both received transport to Durham Regional Hospital and were released after treatment. Dixon, Tabares, and a passenger in his van, 28-year-old Durham resident Vernon Antionne Pratt, were uninjured.

7-Year-Old Boy Mauled To Death By Dogs

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)38016 — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

News reports say that a 7-year-old boy in Illinois suffered fatal personal injuries when he was mauled by four dogs at the home of a neighbor.

According to what residents told the local NBC affiliate, the child, Jason Walter, his mother, and his brother were regular visitors at the nearby home of Eric Shanklin in rural Marshall County, where the incident occurred.

Sheriff Rob Russell said that Walter was attacked in Shanklins driveway on the morning of August 25 by a mixed-breed Shepherd and three pit bulls.

Emergency services responded to the scene and the boy received transport to a firehouse at Varna, however, he died while awaiting a helicopter to transport him to the hospital.

Russell said Shanklin owned the mixed-breed dog and the tree pit bulls were owned by a person staying in a trailer on the property. All four were euthanized.

Teen Driver Charged In Fatal Onslow County Wreck

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37942 — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A teenager from Maysville has been charged in connection to a three-car crash on August 13 in which one man suffered fatal personal injuries, according to warrants on file at the Onslow County Magistrate’s Office.

On August 23, the North Carolina Highway Patrol charged 17-year-old Geoffrey Carrio with misdemeanor death by vehicle and driving the wrong way on a dual lane.

Carrio has been accused of unintentionally causing the death of 53-year-old Swansboro resident Brynn T. Ashton while driving on the wrong side of the road on Belgrade Swansboro Road shortly before 4 p.m. on August 13, according to warrants.

Carrio was traveling in a 1993 Ford Ranger when he crossed the center line and sideswiped a 1996 Ford Explorer driven by Swansboro resident Shirley Wetherington. He continued along the left side of the road and collided with a 2002 Toyota driven by Ashton. His daughter, 26-year-old Rachel Ashton, was a passenger in the vehicle.

The Ashtons were transported to Onslow Memorial Hospital. Brynn then received air transport to Pitt Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Rachel Ashton was released after treatment for minor injuries.

Wetherington was uninjured in the accident.

Investigators say alcohol was not considered to be a factor and Carrio is believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Three-Vehicle Accident In Moore County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37943 — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a three-vehicle accident involving a Moore County van caused personal injuries and caused traffic on N.C. 211 at West End to be blocked for more than an hour on August 23.

The van’s driver, 46-year-old Lynda Thomas, was cited for driving left of center, according to investigating Trooper Kenny Evans. According to Moor County Public Information Officer Eli Arroyo-Allen, she is a driver for the Moore County Transportation System.

Evans said the accident took place shortly after 9:30 a.m.

Thomas, the lone occupant of the van, was westbound on N.C. 211 when her vehicle crossed the center line and struck an eastbound Isuzu driven by 47-year-old Robbins resident Kameron Kivett. The truck was registered to Gaddy Waste Services.

The impact resulted in the van being sent careening into a second eastbound vehicle driven by 67-year-old Seven Lakes resident Richard Scott. The Volkswagen Scott was driving was behind the Isuzu.

Thomas and Kivett both became trapped inside their vehicles.

Thomas received transport to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital and underwent treatment for cuts and bruises. Scott was not seriously injured.

Kivett received transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and was released after treatment.

Teen Struck By Vehicle In Harnett County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37804 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On August 21, a 16-year-old suffered personal injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Harnett County.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that 16-year-old Derek Joseph Brown was crossing N.C. Highway 87 in Cameron when a vehicle driven by a 45-year-old woman struck him.

Brown received transport from paramedics to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for two broken legs and massive head trauma. As of the afternoon of August 22, he was listed in fair condition.

The driver received transport to Central Carolina Hospital as a precaution after complaining of minor neck pain.

Troopers say that speed and alcohol are not considered to be factors.

Wayne County Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Vehicle

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37805 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the night of August 21, a man from Goldsboro suffered fatal personal injuries after being struck by a vehicle while walking along a highway in Wayne County.

According to an August 23 report from police, 40-year-old Michael David Smith was wearing dark clothing when he was struck by a vehicle just before 10:30 p.m. on U.S. Highway 117 Alternate near West Ash Street.

Smith died at the scene.

The driver was identified by police as Tiffany Mills.

Head-On Collision With SUV Claims Cary Motorcyclist

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37874 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Cary suffered fatal personal injuries on the morning of August 24 in a head-on collision between an SUV and a motorcycle.

According to town spokeswoman Deanna Boone, the motorcycle was northbound on Davis Drive when it was struck by a southbound SUV that was turning left onto Waldo Rood Boulevard.

The motorcycle’s operator, 54-year-old Tomoichi Martin Cummings, received transport to Duke University Hospital, but was later pronounced dead there.

Boone said that according to an initial investigation, the driver of the SUV, 80-year-old Cary resident Doris Yates Upchurch, was at fault. Charges are pending.

It was not immediately clear if rain had been a factor in the accident.

Accident Near Center City Injures Four

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37875 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Four people suffered personal injuries on the afternoon of August 24 in an automobile accident just south of Center City.

MEDIC reported that four patients may have sustained injuries in the accident, which took place on South Boulevard, not far from Marsh Road.

All four of the injured persons received transport to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. The injuries they suffered in the accident are not believed to be life-threatening.

One Injured In I-77 Crash Involving Tractor-Trailer

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37729 — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the afternoon of August 22, an accident involving a tractor-trailer on southbound Interstate 77 near Charlotte caused personal injuries and left traffic standing still.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the scene of the accident at about 11:30 a.m. According to MEDIC, one person received transport to Carolinas Medical Center with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

At one point, the crash resulted in all four lanes of traffic being blocked. Police redirected traffic off of the interstate at the exit for Gilead Road.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Highway Patrol.

Catawba County Crash Leaves Two Dead, Three Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37730 — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

An automobile accident in Catawba Count on the morning of August 22 has left two people dead and three others with personal injuries.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, on August 22, the accident took place around 1:30 a.m. on Startown Road near Settlemyre Bridge Road.

The crash was under the investigation of officers from the Highway Patrol and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. It is uncertain how many vehicles were involved.

No immediate update on the condition of the three persons injured in the accident has been released. The identities of the victims have also not yet been released.

Firefighter Bitten By Dog While Battling Blaze

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37707 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A firefighter in northwest Houston, Texas suffered personal injuries when he was bitten by a dog as he was attempting to stop flames from spreading through an apartment building.

At about 1:30 a.m. on the morning of August 21, crews responded to a fire at the 24-unit building. Four of the units burned to the ground and two suffered extensive water and smoke damage.

The firefighter underwent treatment for his injuries at the scene. He is expected to be fine.

Car Runs Into House In Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37708 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Firefighters in Charlotte responded to the scene of an accident in which personal injuries were suffered on the morning of August 20 involving a car crashing into a house.

The accident took place on Oakdale Road at about 11:15 a.m.

The vehicle’s driver was identified as Cleveland, N.C. resident Larry Bost. The accident report said that Bost told police that he briefly looked away from the road while driving, causing him to run off the road to the right and crash into the house.

Police cited Bost for reckless driving, driving on a revoked license, no insurance, and false tag.

The Toyota Camry Bost was driving is registered to Statesville resident Traci Daniel.

Franklin County Teen In Recover After Surviving Accident That Killed Two

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37709 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A teenager from Franklin County is in recovery from the personal injuries he suffered in an accident in which two of his college classmates were killed.

Kendric Reid, 19, an incoming Wingate University freshman, was released from the hospital after completion of his treatment. In the crash in which he was injured, two 18-year-olds were killed and another was listed in critical condition.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver of the vehicle ran a stop sign and drove into the path of an oncoming truck. All four occupants of the vehicle were part of an early academic program at Wingate.

The NCHP said that alcohol was not a factor in the accident and all four students were wearing their seat belts.

Davidson County Crash Involves 10 Vehicles

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37710 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On August 19, North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers reported that rain caused a multi-vehicle accident in which personal injuries were suffered and traffic on Interstate 85 in Davidson County was blocked for several hours.

In the accident, a tour bus was unable to stop in time while approaching the scene of a minor accident, causing the larger accident just south of the Rowan County line shortly before 7:30 a.m. on August 19.

Troopers say a total of nine cars in addition to the bus were involved. Officials say five people received transport to the hospital for minor injuries. One was sent to Lexington Memorial Hospital, the other five were sent to Rowan Regional Medical Center.

Troopers say one car was balancing on the guardrail upon their arrival at the scene.

Major Company Settles Lawsuit For Millions

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37490 — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

AstraZeneca has agreed to pay $103 million to settle class-action claims that were brought up because the claimants believed that the company had been improperly altering the wholesale price of cancer and asthma treatments.

The first settlement of $13 million for consumers and health insurers in Massachusetts, and $90 million for claimants outside of the state. The suit claimed the company inflated the average wholesale price of expensive drugs, according to the law firm handling the case. The firm said the wholesale price is used as a benchmark for almost all prescription drugs in the country.

AstraZeneca, allegedly inflated the average wholesale price of Zoladex, a cancer drug, and Pulmicort Respules, a treatment used to prevent asthma symptoms in children.

AstraZeneca spokesman Tony Jewell said Friday that although the company denies any liability and wrongdoing, the settlement is the best way to resolve the matter and focus on its core business.

At Least One Dead, Two Injured In Fiery Crash Near N.C.-S.C. State Line

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37673 — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

At least one person suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident on Interstate 77 on August 16 near the state line for North and South Carolina in which a fuel tanker crashed and caught fire, also resulting in the interstate being shut down for several hours.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Lance Corporal Billy Elder, the driver of the tractor trailer in question was killed and two women in a car that collided with the truck received transport to a local hospital to undergo treatment. None of the people involved’s identities were immediately made available.

Despite the truck traveling in the southbound lanes, both sides of the ride were closed. The northbound lanes were reopened after the fire was extinguished and southbound lanes were reopened later that night.

One Dead, One Critically Injured When Car Collides With House In Raleigh

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37674 — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

One man died and another suffered critical personal injuries on the morning of August 20 after a 2004 BMW collided with a house on Tryon Road in Raleigh, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Trooper Ceon Cayco reported that speed and wet roads were considered to be factors in the accident, which took place near the intersection of Tryon Road and Tryon Pines Drive shortly before 12:30 a.m.

Cayco said that the driver, identified as 20-year-old Holly Springs resident Maximillian Bratton, was killed on impact. The passenger, 19-year-old Raleigh resident Ethan Herring, received transport to WakeMed in Raleigh, where he was listed in critical condition.

None of the occupants of the house, who were sleeping at the time, were injured. The car crashed through a pair of brick fence posts, scraped the carport, and collided with the home, according to Cayco. The carport collapsed during the wreck.

According to Cayco, the vehicle was traveling at an estimated speed of 65 mph in a 45 mph zone and the roads were slick due to heavy rain. He said no one witnessed the accident.

Court Reinstates Part of Bus Wreck Case

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36007 — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A school bus transporting Lee High School students to a local trade school, overturned over a retaining wall on an elevated part of Interstate 565 at the U.S. highway 231 exit and plummeted 30 feet. There were 4 that were killed when the bus wrecked. 3 were killed on the day of the accident and the 4^{th teenager died the next day. A 1990 Toyota Celica apparently hit the side of the school bus. The bus driver apparently attempted evasive action, and a reaction sent the right tire climbing up the protective barrier. The buses momentum caused it to teeter on the wall briefly, flipped upside down, careening headlong onto the ground below.}

In a recent opinion, the Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that the lack of seat belts in the school bus that crashed can be used in a lawsuit against the bus manufacturer. A judge had ruled the issue of seat belts in school buses should be addressed by the Legislature, not by the courts. The Legislature has not addressed safety belts in school buses since 1986.

ShaghettiO Recall

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37428 — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

There has been a recall from the Campbell Soup Co. recalling SpaghettiOs with meatballs that might not have been properly processed. This might have potentially allowed bacteria to grow inside the can and cause spoilage.

Coming from the company, one of the cookers in the plant wasn’t working up to standard and it had left the meatball undercooked. Recalled are certain lots of three varieties of the pasta product often consumed by children: Spaghetti-Os with Meatballs, Spaghetti-Os A to Z with Meatballs, and Spaghetti-Os Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars).

The recalled products have "EST 4K," as well as a use-by date between June 2010 and December 2011 printed on the bottom of the can. The Spaghetti-Os were manufactured between December 2008 and June 2010 and were distributed to retail establishments nationwide.

Ford Recalls Vehicles to Replace Recliners

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36006 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Ford is recalling some 33,000 vehicles because they need to fix the front seat recliners. The recall affects some versions of the 2010 Ford Fusion, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac and 2010 Mercury Milan and Mountaineer with front seat manual recliners. The vehicles under recall were built from mid-December through early February.

The front seat recliners’ gears may have problems that would lead to the seat back and head restraint moving toward the rear in a crash, which will increase the risk of injuries. While no injuries have been reported as a result of the defect, NHTSA found that the seats don't meet federal standards for head restraints and must be replaced. Ford will replace the hardware free of charge. For more information, visit NHTSA's website.

Dealers will replace the manual seat recliners free of charge. Owners can call Ford at (866) 436-7332.

Man Charged With Murder In Death Of Fayetteville Resident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37544 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On August 16, police charged a man from Fayetteville with murder in connection to a crash in which a motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries.

Police charged 22-year-old Jason Gregory Taft with second-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Fayetteville Resident Felipe Ramirez.

According to investigators, at around 2 a.m. on August 14, Taft was driving east on Country Club Drive when he lost control of the pickup truck he was driving near the intersection with Murchison Road. The truck crossed the center line and struck Ramirez’ motorcycle head-on. Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police cited excessive speed and alcohol as factors in the crash.

Wilson Man Killed In I-95 Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37545 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Wilson suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident on Interstate 95 near Rocky Mount on August 18.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says 29-year-old David Lloyd was northbound near the county line of Nash County and Wilson County when the green Ford Explorer he was driving ran off the road near mile marker 126 shortly before noon. He then overcorrected and the SUV overturned, coming to rest on its roof. He was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.

Troopers say Lloyd was the lone occupant of his vehicle and his was the only vehicle involved.

Missing Teen Found Dead After Gaston County Motorcycle Accident

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16982 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A father found the lifeless body of his son on a rural North Carolina road this week – Gaston County authorities believe that the 18-year-old was involved in a motorcycle accident five days before his remains were discovered.

Jacob Lance LaMarr went missing earlier in the week. He lived with friends in Charlotte during the workweek and returned to Clover each weekend to live with his family. He was employed at the Market Street restaurant in Gastonia. After his family failed to contact him for several days, his father drove his work route and found the site of a motorcycle crash as well as his son’s body. His father, John LaMarr followed some disturbed branches into a wooded area off of Crowders Creek Road near Ferguson Ridge Road which about two miles west of Gastonia.

North Carolina Police are working to figure out when the teen died and what caused him to run off of the road and into the woods. Though the 18-year-old was wearing a helmet at the time of the motorcycle accident, the helmet appeared to come off during the bike crash. The investigation continues, and authorities think that the boy died on July 25, the last day anyone saw him alive.

A memorial service will be held for LaMarr at 7 PM on Thursday, August 5th, at M.L. Ford & Sons Funeral Home Chapel, 209 North Main Street, Clover, South Carolina. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 5 PM to 7 PM.

Outdoor Gas Fire Columns Recalled

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36004 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

About 5,800 Patio Glow Outdoor Gas Fire Columns have been recalled by Agio International Company of Hong Kong. Gas can or may leak from connections in the columns, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The recalled product is a propane gas fire column used for outdoor light. The base of the column is rectangular with brick styling. The top has a bowl shape with lava rocks. This unit does not include ceramic logs. Only products with serial numbers running in order from 0081959SD through 0087754SD are affected. The model number GFP207 and the serial number is printed on a label that is located inside the door on the base.

There have been five cases where there has been fires because of the gas columns. It was sold at Costco from August2009 through February 2010 for about $200.

Consumers should stop using the gas fire columns immediately and return the columns to any Costco retail outlet to receive a full refund. To receive more information you can call Agio-USA at (800) 598-6532 or to email the company at customerservice@va-cs.com. Another information source is Agio’s recall website, www.va-cs.com/recall.

Two Injured In Eastover Plane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37441 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two people who suffered personal injuries in the crash of a single-engine airplane that crashed in Eastover on August 15 remained at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and were listed in fair condition as of the morning of August 17.

According to a hospital spokesperson, one of the passengers in the Beech aircraft, Randy Nunnery, remained in intensive care.

On the morning of the accident, the plane, piloted by Bud Symond, crashed after taking off at Eastover Air Ranch.

The president of the Eastover Air Ranch Homeowners Association, Jerry Byrd, said that he was told that the nose wheel of the plane collapsed shortly before the plane took off, resulting in the propeller bouncing repeatedly on the ground.

Byrd, also a pilot, said that Symond probably prevented the crash from being worse than it was by veering, rather than continuing down the runway. He said that had Symond attempted to continue forward, he most likely would have struck the tall trees just past the runway. Instead, Symond was able to get the plane airborne between houses with the intent of landing on Wilbur Street in the neighborhood, which has a grass runway.

Among the homeowners living in the gated community off Baywood Road in Eastover, approximately nine are pilots.

The crash remains under the investigation of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Accident Near Kenly Injures One

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37442 — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Emergency dispatchers say an accident on the morning of August 17 in Kenly in which a person suffered personal injuries after a collision with a tree is under investigation by the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Dispatchers say that the accident took place shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Highway 222, approximately four miles west of Kenly.

According to the dispatchers, one person temporarily became trapped inside the vehicle and after being extricated, was transported to WakeMed in Raleigh via helicopter with injuries considered to be serious.

No further details were immediately made available.

NC Traffic Investigation Says Woman At Fault For May Trooper Accident

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16981 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

After several months of investigation, the North Carolina Highway Patrol has determined that a North Carolina Trooper was not at fault for a collision that killed a 55-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy. One 431-page report was released to the public, while another crash reconstruction report is being kept private as the police expect a wrongful death car accident lawsuit to be filed regarding the deadly wreck.

The accident took place on Business I-85 in May, when police officer J.D. Goodnight observed a car speeding southbound. Goodnight made a U-turn and accelerated to 95 miles per hours to apprehend the speeder, who investigators believe was going approximately 80 miles per hour. Although he turned on his lights, he did not turn on his siren, since he said turning it on would distract him from the road.

At the same time, Sandra Allmond and Taylor Strange, a friend of her grandson’s, were turning left across traffic onto River Road. Goodnight thought that the car was yielding, but instead it entered the roadway and collided with the speeding police officer. Allmond’s car split in half, ran into a ditch, and hit a tree. The rear end of the vehicle flew into the northbound lanes of the intersection. Both occupants were killed. The report does admit that the speed of the trooper’s car contributed to the extent of the car accident.

The report does not clarify whether or not two airbags in the Honda driven by Allmond were deployed during the crash.

Howard Berger Recalls Extension Cords

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36003 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

There has been about 12,000 indoor and outdoor extension cords and power strips that have been recalled due to a fire hazard. Howard Berger Co. Inc. of Cranbury New Jersey has recalled the extension cords and power strips because they may have inadequate coating material around the cords and copper conductors that are smaller than required, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

The recall involves Brightway heavy duty outdoor extension cords and Brightway indoor household extension cords and power strips. The model numbers that are involved in the recall are R2600 through R2615 which are outdoor extension cords, EE6 through EE20 which are indoor extension cords and MP6DG for the power strips. "Brightway" is printed on the cords.

There have not been any injuries involved with these extension cords and power strips but consumers should stop using them immediately and return them for a full refund. For additional information, you can contact Howard Berger at 1-800-221-5895, or you may visit the web site at www.hberger.com. You may also email them at robertwinterstein@hberger.com.

Pit Bull Owners Charged For Attack

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37311 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Minneapolis, Minnesota were forced to shoot twin pit bulls, whose owners were identified as Otello Pitts and Gidget Nicks, after a mail carrier suffered personal injuries in a vicious attack in July and the dogs rushed toward the responding officers. But the consequences may not be over for the owners.

The dogs have been posthumously declared dangerous by animal control officials, meaning that under beefed-up ordinances that have been credited with a sharp reduction in serious dog bites in Minneapolis, Pitts and Nicks could be barred from owning a dog for five years if they ever have another dog that is declared dangerous.

According to officials, the five-year prohibition has been imposed on four dog owners in the city within the past 18 months.

But that’s not the only problem for Pitts and Nicks. On August 13, city prosecutors filed what they say is the most serious criminal charge possible against the two: a misdemeanor charge of “harm caused by a dog” against each. The charge carries a penalty of a fine of up to $1,000 and a prison sentence of up to 90 days.

Administrative citations were also issued against the couple by the city accusing the couple of failure to license the dogs, failure to keep them on leashes, and failure to protect the public from attack. The citations carry potential fines of $375.

But there’s a twist in the case, as the city could have difficulty locating the couple. As of August 13, there was an eviction notice, dated August 6, posted on the residence where the attack occurred for failure to pay rent. A “Beware of Dog” sign lay crumpled beside the front steps.

According to Minnesota state law, landlords must be notified if a tenant’s dog is declared dangerous, because a rental owner knowledgeable about an aggressive dog becomes legally liable for it.

According to the city’s definition, a serious bite is one that inflicts a laceration of at least one inch or multiple skin punctures.

Woman Struck While Crossing Street In Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37312 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the night of August 14, a woman in her early 40s suffered personal injuries when she was struck by a mini-van as she was crossing the street at the intersection of Morgantown Road and Longbranch Drive in Fayetteville.

The accident occurred around 9 p.m.

A Fayetteville Police Department watch commander said that the woman received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.

No other details about the accident were immediately made available.

Motorcyclist Dead In Head-On Collision In Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37313 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Fayetteville Police Department reported that a motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries in a crash on Country Club Drive near Murchison Road on the morning of August 14.

The police report says that 22-year-old Fayetteville resident Jason Taft lost control of the 2005 Nissan Titan he was driving east on Country Club Drive. The vehicle crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 2001 Yamaha motorcycle.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The motorcyclist’s name has not yet been released, pending notification of family.

Police cited speed and alcohol as factors in the crash and said that charges are pending.

Couple Killed, 3-Year-Old Injured In Accident Near New Bern

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37314 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A couple has died and their 3-year-old child suffered personal injuries in an automobile accident in eastern North Carolina.

According to reports from multiple media outlets, 27-year-old Alsheen Wooten and his wife, 23-year-old Temikia Gooding Wooten, were pronounced dead on August 13 after their car collided with a dump truck on N.C. 43 near New Bern. The child was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital and is listed in stable condition.

North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper Jason Benson said that the vehicle was traveling too fast for the conditions at the time, hydroplaned on the rain soaked road, and crossed the center line. The car’s passenger side impacted the dump truck.

Two Dead, Three Injured In Union County Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37315 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two incoming freshman at Wingate University were on their way to a ropes challenge course on the morning of August 14 when they were killed in an automobile accident in Union County that caused three others to suffer personal injuries, according to authorities.

The teenagers were part of a caravan of students in an academic enrichment program for incoming freshmen en route from the university to the nearby team-building course.

According to Trooper R.L. Lankford, a Saturn driven by 18-year-old Fayetteville resident Mishawn Miller ran a stop sign at White Store Road around 9 a.m. and was hit on the driver’s side by a grain truck.

Miller and 18-year-old Greensboro resident Arielle Parker, who was sitting on the right side of the back seat, died upon impact.

Another passenger, 18-year-old Charlotte resident Marcelle Louba, was transported to Carolinas Medical Center, where she was listed in critical but stable condition. Another passenger, 19-year-old Greencastle, Pennsylvania resident Kendric Reid, received treatment at the hospital for minor injuries.

The grain truck’s driver, 52-year-old Ellberbe resident Carlton Watkins also received treatment for minor injuries.

Accident At Off-Road Race Leaves Eight Dead, 12 Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37316 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to August 15 statements from authorities and witnesses, an off-road truck flew off of a jump and hurtled into a crowd at a race in the California desert, pinning bodies beneath it and sending others flying in a crash in which eight people were killed and 12 suffered personal injuries.

San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman said that the accident took place shortly after the twilight start of the California 200 on the night of August 14 in the Mojave Desert.

Witnesses say the driver took a jump in a section called “the rockpile” at high speed, braked upon landing, and overturned sideways, barreling into a crowd of hundreds of people standing with no barriers beside the course.

Eyewitness Matt March said that he and several other fans lifted the truck, which ended up with the oversized wheels pointing skyward, and discovered four unconscious persons underneath.

The San Bernardino County coroner said that at least seven of the deceased were in their 20s.

The deceased were identified as 24-year-old Fillmore, California resident Zachary Freeman, 24-year-old Ventura, California resident Dustin Malson, 27-year-old Escondido, California resident Brian Wolfin, 23-year-old Escondido resident Anthony Sanchez, 25-year-old Escondido resident Aaron Farkas, 20-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada resident Danica Frantzich, and 22-year-old Riverside, California resident Andrew Therrin. The eighth victim’s identity has not yet been released.

Authorities say six of the victims died at the scene and the other two were pronounced dead at the hospital. Seven ambulances and 10 emergency helicopters responded to the scene.

The crowd was standing within 10 feet of the track at the time. Fans say “the rockpile” is a popular area because they can get close to cars as they go airborne and there are no guardrails to hold them back.

FDA Panel: Avandia Does Raise Risk Of Heart Attack

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16980 — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 33-member government advisory panel associated with the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) came to the conclusion this week that controversial diabetes drug Avandia does indeed raise the risk of heart attack in those who take, but that the drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline should be more tightly controlled by the FDA in the future. Generally, though the panel agreed that diabetes drug Actos was safer for those with possible heart heath issues, they were mostly unsure about whether or not Avandia should be pulled from shelves in order to protect consumers.

Many members of the defective drug panel recommended a new warning label for Avandia, but stated that there was not enough conclusive evidence to warrant recalling the drug or stopping its production.

Whether or not Avandia increase the risk of heart attacks has been questioned as far back as 2005, and the public’s use of the blood sugar drug has declined sharply over the years. The FDA expects that its findings will further depress sales, along with the fact that a similar but safer diabetes drug is already available. The most recent and most thorough study of the drug found that although Avandia significantly increased the chances of heart failure, it did not significantly increase the risk of patient death.

The Avandia controversy is made even more complex because many believe that GlaxoSmithKline knew about the risks of taking their drug as long as a decade ago, but covered up the information.

Five People Killed in a Refinery Blast

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36002 — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

There was a toxic explosion last month at an oil refinery in Washington State that killed more than five people. There was five workers killed and two more were injured. The blast occurred at the refinery located north of Seattle, and it was the deadliest refinery blast in five years.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board which is the federal agency that investigates large industrial accidents is investigating this explosion. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also be involved in the investigation. The state environmental regulators fined the refinery $85,700 for 17 serious safety and health violations that could have lead to death or serious physical injury.

An area of the plant was shut down near the blast site at a unit that makes naphtha, a key gasoline component. When the explosion occurred, the workers that were killed and injured were putting a unit back in service after a maintenance project.

Many refinery accidents happen during the restart or shutting of units. Tesoro has seven refineries in the western part of the country, with a combined capacity of about 665,000 barrels a day.

.Man Dies In Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37303 — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Man Dies In Accident

According to the report, John William Butler was traveling southeast on N.C. Highway 20 around 8:30 p.m. Butler lost control of his vehicle and ran off the road in a curve, striking a tree.

Butler was transported to a hospital but died of his injuries.

Troopers said that one other person was injured in the accident.

The accident is under investigation.

A 79-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle wreck on N.C. Highway 20, southeast of Raeford, on Saturday afternoon, according to N.C. state troopers.

ChainFree Asheville Works To Prepare Pet Owners For Tethering Law

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16965 — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina non-profit organization ChainFree Asheville is helping families across the city fence their yards and lower the chances of a dog bite or dog attack significantly.

On August 1, ChainFree Asheville celebrated its 50th dog fence, constructed for a low-income family and a dog named Bee. The organization hopes that the community of Asheville will help them celebrate their accomplishment by pledging $50 to the group and help make Asheville a safer place for dogs and humans.

CFA began two years ago with several missions. They helped pass the no tethering law in 2009, which outlaws chaining dogs in city limits. This dog law ensures that dogs do not spend all day and night chained and neglected, while also making children and others safer from aggressive dogs and dog attacks. Since chained dogs are often more violence and prone to bite (because they feel cornered) and because children can easily approach a chained dog as opposed to a fenced dog, tethered dogs often attack strangers and incur dog bite injuries.

In addition to fencing yards around Asheville, CFA also provides needy families and needy dogs with doghouses, toys, and flea and tick medicine. In some cases they have paid for fixing dogs, while in other cases they have placed neglected dogs in new and loving homes. This year, the CFA also wants to spread awareness about the benefits of not chaining your dog and how to raise a healthy, happy, and safe dog.

Dog owners will begin being fined for having a dog on a chain or tether in January 2011.

$89 Million Awarded in Plane Crash Case

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35999 — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A jury in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania awarded $89 million last month to family members of the passengers that were killed in the Youngstown, Ohio, plane crash and to a survivor of the crash. It was found that the manufacturer of the plane’s engine had concealed information about a faulty carburetor that caused the crash. It was a six-seat Piper Cherokee plane, built in 1968, which crashed shortly after takeoff following a refueling stop in Youngstown in 1999.

This case has been in court for the past ten years. The state Supreme Court had rejected it twice with argument by the manufacturer that the claims were barred under a statute severely limiting negligence lawsuits for defects in airplanes more than 18 years old. Lycoming Engines of Williamsport, Pennsylvania was the engines manufacturer.

There were reports by the National Transportation Safety Board that found the plane was near its maximum weight limit when it took off, and that much of its weight was distributed toward the back, making it difficult to operate. Lycoming Engine Company was well aware of the carburetor problem but had failed to notify the FAA or Federal Aviation Administration of the problems.

The jury awarded $25 million in compensatory and $64 million in punitive damages.

Four Nursing Home Residents Killed By Mentally Ill Patients In NC

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16964 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Ten years ago, North Carolina closed many of its psychiatric facilities, leaving an estimated 6,400 mentally ill patients without a place to turn or proper care. The majority of these mental patients ended up in nursing homes and adult care facilities, where young, violent, and mentally ill patients were mixed with the elderly. The result has been sadly predictable: in just the last two years, North Carolina nursing home residents have died at the hands of the mentally ill.

While the nursing homes, which are licensed and regularly inspected by North Carolina authorities, pay for the psychiatric patients with taxpayer money, many believe that neither the state nor the nursing homes are doing enough to protect everyone’s safety. Many of the nursing homes are understaffed – and many have histories of adult care negligence and abuse. The beatings that have taken place between the mentally ill and the elderly often happen when no one is supervising the residents and deaths usually happen when staff members don’t appropriately treat injured patients.

While the 1999 law to get mentally ill patients out of institutions and into more welcoming environments had good intentions, it has simply moved many of these patients into retirement homes where they could harm others or harm themselves. Now, recent research shows that one quarter of the people living in North Carolina nursing homes are there primarily because of mental illness, not age. The staff at these nursing homes often are not trained to deal with these patients, who often end up abused, neglected, improperly restrained, or overmedicated.

$141 Million was Returned in Verdict Against Pfizer

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35998 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A jury has found that Pfizer, Inc. violated the federal racketeering law by improperly promoting its epilepsy drug, Neurontin. The jury ordered the world’s largest drug maker to pay $47 million in damages. The penalty is automatically tripled under the RICO act, so the verdict will actually cost Pfizer $141 million, but the company says it will appeal the verdict.

The Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan alleged that Pfizer had illegally promoted Neurontin for unapproved uses. Some of the uses were for migraine headaches, pain and also bipolar disorder. It appears that the drug doesn’t work for those purposes.

This is not the first bad thing that has occurred for this drug company. Pfizer, in 2004, agreed to pay $430 million to federal and state governments and pleaded guilty to criminal charges of illegally marketing the drug Neurontin. Pfizer contends that the judge improperly allowed details of that case and settlement to be considered by the Boston jury.

Pending against Pfizer, there are 1,000 civil lawsuits, accusing it of illegally promoting Neurontin for unapproved uses and helping to cause some users’ suicides. Along with the $430 million settlement of allegtations over Neurontin, Pfizer also paid $2.3 billion in October 2009 to resolve U.S. Justice Department allegations that it illegally marketed the pain killer Bextra and three other drugs.

Man Killed In Fayetteville Accident Identified

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37271 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man who suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on Maxwell Road in Fayetteville on August 12 in which his car struck a tree at high speed and broke into three pieces has been identified by the North Carolina Highway Patrol as 22-year-old Fayetteville resident Joseph David Hartmeyer.

Trooper W.C. Townsend’s accident report said that Hartmeyer was pronounced dead at the scene around 1:14 a.m. near Wade-Stedman Road.

According to the report, Hartmeyer was northbound in an Acura at an estimate rate of speed of 110 mph shortly before the vehicle ran off the right side of the road. He overcorrected and the car ran off the left side of the road, hit a ditch, and overturned before the collision with the tree.

One Dead In Scotland County Wreck

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37272 — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported on August 13 that one person suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle accident on August 12 on N.C. 79 in Scotland County.

According to a spokesman for the NCHP, the victim’s name was not available at the time of the report.

The spokesman said that the accident occurred sometime between 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. near Gibson.

Brake Override System installed On ALL Cars by 2012

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35997 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

General Motors, or GM as most people know it by, hasn’t really had a problem with unintended acceleration, but they are taking the proper precautions that it won’t ever happen.

GM is going to install a new brake override safety system, or "an enhanced smart pedal" in all of their cars worldwide by 2012. This is basically the same thing that Toyota is installing to put an end to its unintended acceleration problem.

This new brake override system may only be a way for GM to get a public-relations jump. The Department of Transportation is wondering whether they are going to make this new safety system mandatory on all cars.

A brake override cuts engine speed when the driver alternately steps on both the brake and accelerator as if they were in some manic mode. GM plans to install the pedal as a software upgrade in the electronic throttle control such as a system on a few of the new performance vehicles, such as the Chevrolet Corvette.

North Carolina Motorcyclist Killed On Blue Ridge Parkway

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37102 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina has seen its fifth traffic fatality in 2010. This Sunday afternoon, a Boone woman riding motorcycles with her husband lost control of her three-wheeled bike on a curve. The deadly motorcycle accident took place near the 277 mile marker, with 58-year-old Judy Ann Auton Hendrix pronounced dead at the scene of crash by emergency workers. Hendrix and her husband lived in Boomer, North Carolina, in Caldwell County.

According to Parkway chief ranger Steve Stinnett, Hendrix was driving on a downgrade and around a curve when the bike tipped and landed on top of her. The NC motorcycle accident is under investigation, though authorities do not believe drugs, alcohol, or speed were factors in the motorbike crash.

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans almost 500 miles across North Carolina and Virginia. The scenic road is also known for its sometimes-dangerous hills and curves.

Father Of Family Injured In Sanford Accident Dies

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37185 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The father of a family who all suffered personal injuries in a head-on collision in Lee County on August 7 has died, according to a statement from officials on August 11.

On the night of the accident, a Chevrolet Blazer driven by Sebastian Talley crossed the center line on N.C. Highway 87 at Winstead Road and collided head-on with an oncoming Ford F250 pickup truck.

According to UNC Hospitals spokesman Tom Hughes, the pickup’s driver, 40-year-old Wayne Fausz, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Two passengers in the pickup, 15-year-old Nathaniel Fausz and 9-year-old Autumn Fausz, remained in the hospital as of August 11. Nathaniel was listed in critical condition, but Autumn was listed in good condition.

Another passenger, 34-year-old Natasha Fausz, received transport to Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford after the accident. Her condition has not yet been made available.

Talley, a Cameron resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say he apparently fell asleep while driving.

Fayetteville Crash Claims 2-Year-Old, Mother Charged

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37186 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 2-year-old girl was buried on August 10 after dying of the personal injuries she suffered in a July automobile accident. Police say the mother was at fault for the crash.

According to an obituary, 2-year-old Ayreon Guillory, whose parents were identified as Syreeta DeLasbour-Fultz and Avian Guillory, died on July 30.

The accident took place on July 27 on Country Club Drive in Fayetteville between Murchison and Rosehill roads. Fultz’s vehicle crossed the center line and collided head-on with a dump truck, according to Fayetteville police.

Ayreon and Fultz’s two sons, 8-year-old Isaiah and 6-year-old Jeremiah, were passengers in the vehicle. Police say both were injured in the accident. Their conditions have not been released because of a family confidentiality request.

Police say the dump truck’s driver, 49-year-old Linden resident William Frazze II, was unharmed.

There was heavy rain on the morning of the accident.

Police say Fultz underwent treatment at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for broken bones and internal injuries and was then transferred to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for recovery. She has been charged with exceeding a safe speed for conditions and improper child restraint.

Drivers In Fayetteville Accident Both On Revoked Licenses

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37187 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The drivers involved in a two-vehicle accident in which personal injuries were suffered on the morning of August 11 at the intersection of Swain Street and Skibo Road in Fayetteville have something in common: according to Fayetteville police spokesman Dan Grubb, both were driving without a license.

Grubb said that 55-year-old Ples Martin Jr. and 23-year-old Betty Baker have both been charged with driving on a revoked license.

According to Grubb, Martin was westbound on Skibo in a Ford Explorer and ran a red light at the intersection with Swain. Baker, in a Mitsubishi, was turning onto Skibo from Swain and collided with the SUV, which overturned several times, causing tools and engine parts to spill out onto the road.

Martin received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. He was also charged with running a red light.

Wilkes County Accident Leaves Firefighter Dead, Several Others Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37188 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

An automobile accident in Wilkes County has left a firefighter dead and several others with personal injuries.

The Winston-Salem Journal reported that 19-year-old Alan Matheson, a volunteer firefighter at the McGrady Volunteer Fire Department, died when the SUV he was traveling in ran off the road and crashed near Mountain Valley Church Road. He and his friends were returning from a trip to the bowling alley.

The SUV’s driver, Adam Burke, overcorrected and slid into the path of an SUV heading in the opposite direction carrying a family of four. The family is expected to be fine.

Burke was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where he has been listed in good condition.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that Burke was traveling below the posted speed limit and alcohol was not a factor.

One Dead In I-95 Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37189 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

One man suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on Interstate 85 early on the morning of August 12.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, 49-year-old Tarpon Springs, Florida resident Michael G. Kapsulis was killed when his 2003 Chevrolet pickup truck ran off the road at about 1 a.m. just south of the intersection with Old U.S. Highway 64. He was southbound on I-85 at the time.

Investigating trooper K. Britt said that Kapsulis was driving at an estimated rate of 60 mph, ran off the road to the right, traveled down an embankment, and collided with a tree stump on the driver’s side. The vehicle then overturned and struck two more trees. Troopers say Kapsulis was not wearing his seat belt.

Britt said that Kapsulis was traveling under the posted speed limit of 70 mph, but road conditions and visibility were poor because of a heavy thunderstorm that had gone through the area earlier that evening. Britt said excessive speed for the conditions was a factor in the accident.

Man Killed In High-Speed Fayetteville Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37190 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says a man suffered fatal personal injuries on the morning of August 12 when the vehicle he was driving ran off Maxwell Road in Fayetteville, struck a tree, and broken into three pieces.

A spokesman said the man’s identity has not yet been released pending notification of family members.

According to the report filed by Trooper W.C. Townsend, the accident occurred around 1:15 a.m. near Wade-Stedman Road. At the time, the man was northbound in an Acura at an approximate speed of 110 mph.

The report says the vehicle ran off the road to the right and the driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to cross back over the road and run off the road to the left. It then hit a small ditch and overturned before the collision with the tree.

Jury Orders Bayer to Pay Rice Farmers

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35996 — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A jury in Arkansas has returned a verdict against the Bayer Crop-Science and awarded farmers nearly $50 million in damages for allowing a genetically altered strain of rice to escape into the commercial market. By the rice escaping, the rice prices were damaged in 2006. Bayer was lost the case last month before a jury of Lonoke County, Arkansas.

The farmers said an experimental rice strain developed by Bayer called "Liberty Link" was allowed to make its way into the stream of commercially marketed rice. Liberty Link was developed to withstand a popular herbicide that kills weeds in the farmer’s fields.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in August , that trace amounts of Liberty Link rice was found in U.S. long-grain rice stocks. This case was the fourth to go to trial among dozens filed already by rice-belt farmers against Bayer. The Bayer CropScience is a subsidiary of the German chemical giant that makes aspirin.

Bayer had faced judgments of $4.5 million in the three cases it had lost before they lost this one. Liberty Link rice was developed so farmers could apply Liberty herbicide without fear that it would damage their crops.

Rice futures plummeted by $150 million immediately after the contamination announcement. No nation has approved genetically modified rice for the marketplace. European nations quit accepting shipments of rice from the United States that hadn’t been extensively tested to show that they were not contaminated. There was a handful of states that argued that Bayer was not only negligent in its handling of Liberty Link rice, but acted with malicious intent by not announcing the contamination of the rice-seed pool as soon as the company had learned about it.

Bayer knew of the contamination as early as January 2006, before that year’s crops were sowed. The farmers didn’t learn of the contamination until it was almost time for them to harvest their crops. Scott Powell of the Birmingham firm of Hare, tired this case and did an excellent job.

Silver Alert Issued For Missing North Carolina Man

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)37101 — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Silver Alert has been issued for a Raleigh man who wandered from his group home on the night of Tuesday, August 10. The man, Bobby James Woodleif, is described as a 160-pound man who is five feet nine inches tall. He was last seen wearing an all-black outfit.

The man, who suffers from a cognitive issue similar to dementia, left his group home on New Bern Ave. some time during the night and the Silver Alert was issued at around 4 AM. Anyone who sees the man should immediately call the Raleigh Police.

The Silver Alert program began three years ago in an attempt to prevent nursing home wandering deaths and nursing home elopement injuries. Not only do Silver Alerts get the public quickly involved in locating lost elders suffering from dementia, it also allows nursing homes to report missing persons (in the past, only family members could report missing persons).

Case Settles Over Lap-Only Seat Belt

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35995 — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A case was settled by the Ford Motor Co. at a state court in Cobb County, Georgia. The case involved a girl who was paralyzed after a crash in 2006 which she was only wearing a lap-only rear seat belt. At the time of the crash, the injured girl, Karina Lozano was only six. The amount of the settlement is confidential.

The case was supposed to be a three week trial starting in April. The plaintiffs were planning on using information from other crashes with similar injuries with lap-only seat belts. One of the similar crashes would be the one 1986 report by the National Traffic Safety Administration about the dangers of lap only belts. They also have evidence that Ford new about the dangers, but continued "two-point" belts because they cost less than "three-point" lap and shoulder belts which are a lot safer.

Karina, who is now nine, is a quadriplegic. She has a motorized wheel-chair that she uses which she will continue to use for the rest of her life. She has enough usage of her hands that she is able to use the controls on the chair to maneuver her around. She can also pick up a pencil, but does not have the strength to hold books.

A common type of injury from crashes such as this one is fracture of the lower spine, which can cause paralysis from the waist down as the person’s upper body is thrown forward. Karina’s spine, however, was severed much higher because she was thrown forward into the back of the front seat, injuring her head and neck which paralyzed more of her body.

For the negligent and defective design of the lap belt restraint system and the negligent failure to warn Karina wouldn’t have had any life altering injuries as a result of her crash. Her father which was in the crash also, was wearing a shoulder and lap belt and only had a broken leg and fully recovered.

Jury Awards $19 Million In Texaco Leaded Gas Suit

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35993 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A jury in Hinds County, Mississippi, has been rewarded a $19 million verdict for five women against Texaco. It is now a division of Chevron Corp. The plaintiff’s says the oil company was responsible for their children being born with many disabilities and also illnesses, which include mental retardation. The women say claim they were pregnant when they worked in the old Jefferson County office in Fayette, which was a gas station that was affiliated with Texaco. The women, in their suit, contended they were exposed to leaded gas fumes from tanks that were left in the ground when the former gas station was renovated.

Loraine Simon,one of the five women, claims that her twenty-year-old daughter is very mentally disabled. The children of the other women suffer from many things, from respiratory conditions and learning disabilities and respiratory conditions. The trial was moved from Jefferson County to Hinds County because the women were well known or had worked in Jefferson County. Texaco has said that it has never owned, operated or controlled the service station or the underground storage tanks.

Ms. Simon said winning the case was "bittersweet" because of her child’s condition. The woman testified during the trial saying that her husband and she had taken their daughter to several doctors trying to determine the cause of her many conditions. They also have two older children who do not have any mental defects. Ms. Loraine Simon didn’t work in the building when she was pregnant with her two other children.

The children of the Plaintiffs’ do not have life threatening mental disabilities, but they all suffer from asthma. Each of the children, who now range from 11 to 20 years old, has some kind of learning disability. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality had the tanks and contaminated soil removed. According to the testimony, Ms. Simon was exposed to 46,000 times the safe level for exposure to leaded gasoline fumes.

Vehicle Crashes Into Lillington Building, Injuring Five

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36960 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Lillington police said that a driver who may have fallen asleep at the wheel and four others suffered personal injuries when his vehicle crashed into a building at the corner of South Main and East Killiegrey streets on August 8.

The identities of the five injured people have not yet been made available, according to Lillington Police Chief Frank Powers. He said the crash took place around 4 a.m.

The five were traveling in an extended cab pickup and collided with the left front corner of the building. Several businesses are housed within the building, including Pioneer Flooring, Powers said.

Powers said that preliminary indications are that the driver fell asleep behind the wheel and not much else is known as of yet.

Powers said the five occupants of the truck received treatment for injuries not considered to be life-threatening.

Tanker Truck Overturns On I-440

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36961 — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Raleigh police say a tanker truck overturned on the morning of August 9 near westbound Interstate 440 and U.S. 64 east, causing the driver to suffer personal injuries and the exit ramp to U.S. 264 to be closed.

The tanker was transporting 48,000 pounds of a material used in waste-water treatment plants and had to be emptied before the vehicle could be turned upright and towed from the ramp, said Raleigh fire battalion chief Ronny Mizell. He noted that the material was contained and posed no hazard.

According to the authorities, the driver, who was identified as Timothy Abernathy, received transport to WakeMed in Raleigh, where he was listed in good condition.

Abernathy was en route to the Perdue Farms in Lewiston Woodville when the accident took place at around 5 a.m., according to Mizell.

$10 Million Awarded in Ambulance Birth

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35982 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

An ambulance service was hit with a $10 million verdict by an Orlando, Florida jury who found it at fault in connection with the premature birth of a child. The mother gave birth to her son in the ambulance while on her way to the hospital. The child, who is now six years old, weighed only 1.7 pounds at birth and suffered a lack of oxygen to the brain, leaving him with cerebral palsy.

The original lawsuit included Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach and two more doctors for their role in the case. Both the hospitals settled with the Plaintiff for a total of $1.4 million.

The expectant mother went to Bert Fish Medical Center because she was suffering from pain and premature labor, but the ER doctor had planned for her to be treated at Halifax but an ambulance was told to go to the wrong hospital. The baby was born about 15 minutes into the trip and had trouble breathing, and so they performed CPR.

Fatigue Believed To Be Cause Of Sanford Crash That Leaves One Dead, Four Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36911 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina state troopers cite fatigue as the likely cause of a two-vehicle accident in Sanford on August 7 in which an 18-year-old man was killed and a family of four required hospital transport for the personal injuries they suffered.

According to troopers, a Chevrolet Blazer driven by 18-year-old Cameron resident Sebastian Talley crossed the center line on N.C. Highway 87 at Winstead Road at about 9 p.m. and collided with an oncoming Ford F250 pickup truck. Talley was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the pickup and two passengers received air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. They were identified as 40-year-old Wayne Fausz, 15-year-old Nathaniel Fausz, and 9-year-old Autumn Fausz.

Wayne and Nathaniel Fausz were in critical condition as of August 8. Troopers say their injuries were serious but were not considered to be life-threatening. Autumn Fausz sustained multiple broken bones and has since been listed in good condition.

A third passenger, 34-year-old Natasha Fausz, received transport to Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford. Her condition was not immediately made available.

Troopers said that they were told by Talley’s father that his son had recently worked multiple double-shifts at the Coty manufacturing plant in Sanford.

Driver Cited For DWI After Pedestrian Fatally Struck In Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36912 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Fayetteville Police Department says a man suffered fatal personal injuries on the morning of August 8 when he was struck by a car while attempting to cross Bragg Boulevard.

Police say the investigation revealed that the man, who was not immediately identified, was struck by a 2007 Dodge driven by Fayetteville resident Jason Phillips, killing the man.

Police have charged Phillips with driving while intoxicated and driving on a revoked license.

Police said the accident took place shortly after 2:30 a.m. near the intersection of Bragg Boulevard and Blue Street.

Switching from Keppra to Generic May Prove to be Deadly

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35981 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Because the cost of prescription is increasing, doctors and pharmacists have switched to patients to the generic form of the prescribed drugs in effort to save patients money. Sometimes this method is safe and helpful; however there are studies that have shown this it’s not safe to make substitutions from brand name to generic drugs and from generic drugs to brand name when dealing with anti-epileptic drugs. When switching from brand name to generic drugs, it may cause seizures, serious injuries, or even death.

Usually, manufacturers of generic prescription drugs must show that they are pretty much the same or "bioequivalent" of the brand name drug. However, "bioequivalent" doesn’t always mean the drug is the same. The generic may contain the same level of active ingredient as the brand name drug, but the FDA allows for some variance in the inactive ingredients as long as the difference doesn’t effect the body significantly.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, switching from either brand name to generic or generic to brand name can be highly dangerous because studies are shown that even a slight variation in the amount or delivery of the active ingredient can lead to serious injury or even death in epileptic patients.

Doctors, who are unaware of the potential side effects of making the change, may switch the medication and the pharmacists change it to generic when it really may need to be brand name. This may cause many problems for the patients. In a three-year survey of patients who switched from brand name to generic medications, 59% of the people who responded, has experienced worse seizures and 49% experienced worse side effects.

Keppra is the brand name for an anti-epileptic drug that went off patent in January 2009. After January, the generic form of this drug, which is Levetiracetam, began being substituted. The Epilepsy Foundation as well as the American Academy of Neurology strongly disapprove of the use of the generic drug and are fighting to bring the issue to the attention of doctors, patients the FDA, health insurers, and Congress.

If you or a loved one have experienced an adverse reaction from taking a generic substitute for Keppra, call Brent Adams & Associates for a free, no obligation consultation with a lawyer.

Two Injured In Collision Between Motorcycle And Car In Sanford

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36880 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police say two people suffered personal injuries in a vehicular accident involving a motorcycle and a car in Sanford on the night of August 6.

The accident took place shortly after 9 p.m. at the intersection of South Horner Boulevard and East Seawell Street.

The two occupants of the motorcycle were both injured in the accident. A male received air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill and a female received air transport to WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh. Their names and conditions were not immediately made available.

It is not known if anyone in the car was injured in the accident.

6-Year-Old Dies When Mother's Vehicle Overturns In Orange County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36881 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 6-year-old girl suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle accident around 8:45 a.m. on August 6 when the 1994 Chevrolet Suburban her mother was driving overturned on Orange Grove Road near Dimmocks Mill Road in Orange County.

Scottlyn Smith was seated in the rear-left passenger seat at the time of the accident. The roof on the side she was sitting on collapsed upon impact.

The girl’s mother, 35-year-old Efland resident Cherylann Smith, was driving north toward Hillsborough. All five of her children were passengers in the vehicle, with ages ranging from 2 to 9-years-old, according to North Carolina State Trooper G.S. Mitchell. All passengers were wearing seat belts or in child safety seats.

Mitchell said that Smith briefly looked down when the vehicle ran off the road to the right and she overcorrected. The vehicle then crossed the center line and overturned. He said that speed was not a factor.

Scottlyn Smith died and the others suffered “very minor” injuries, according to Mitchell. They all received transport to Duke University Hospital.

The crash remains under investigation.

Motorcyclist Dead After Being Struck By Car In Wake County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36889 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, a motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident with a car near Falls Lake in Wake County on the night of August 6.

The accident occurred on Old Weaver Trail. Troopers say the car made a left turn into the motorcycle’s path.

The motorcycle’s driver, 62-year-old Wake Forest resident Randy Lewis, was ejected.

The car’s driver, Creedmoor resident Brenda Gurley, received transport to Durham Regional Hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

Two Dead After Plane Crashes Into Residence

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36890 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

On August 7, a twin-engine plane crashed into a western Pennsylvania house shortly after taking off, causing two people to suffer fatal personal injuries and narrowly missing a man sleeping on his couch with his dog. The accident also set the home on fire.

According to Westmoreland County, Pa. spokesman Dan Stevens, the plane went through the house and landed in the garage, passing just to the right of the sleeping man, when it came down in a rural area approximately 90 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

The man, Steve Yanko, and his dog were able to escape the house, according to his wife, Rose Yanko, who was shopping at the flea market when the accident occurred. She said that they planned to stay with her mother.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the BE58 Beech Baron took off from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pa. shortly after 9 a.m. and crashed about 11 minutes later.

Stevens said the bodies of the deceased were recovered from the wreckage shortly after 3 p.m. after rescuers unearthed the plane from the collapsed garage. He said that it is believed there were only two people aboard the plane, but the search was continuing, as the tail section had not yet been uncovered in order to confirm the identification number.

Stevens said local officials believe they know the identities of the deceased, but would not release further information until the tail number could be confirmed.

Scientist Guilty of Research Misconduct

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35978 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A senior scientist with Wyeth Pharmaceuticals was found guilty of falsifying data which was related to Hormone Therapy, the U.S. Government’s Federal Register reports. This was particular Wyeth’s research on estrogen receptors, which is also a critical area of study for Wyeth’s women’s heath initiative. This will have a lawsuit filed on behalf of women who took Wyeth’s Prempro and ended up with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

There are over 10,000 cases pending around the country by women who took Prempro and who developed estrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

Juries have found in favor of the Plaintiffs in 11 of the 14 hormone therapy trials, with plaintiff’s compensatory verdict averaging around $5 million dollars. This is not a shock given the seriousness of these injuries. Each time a jury has been allowed to award punitive damages, they have done so and averages approximately $30 million per case. This too is not a surprise given the evidence showing Wyeth’s indifference to the safety and welfare of women.

Spring Lake Accident Injures Three

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36844 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Spring Lake Accident Injures Three

An accident involving thee vehicles injured three people.

Tonya Scott was driving a Chevrolet Blazer that was struck by a Chevrolet truck.

The accident occurred near the Harnett County line on Tuesday.

Kourtney Jay and Kristain Murray were passengers in the Blazer. Murray was transported to UNC Hospital.

James Luna was charged with exceeding a safe speed and driving left of center.

Luna was traveling north on N.C. 87 and lost control of the truck. It was raining heavily.

The collision pushed the SUV into a Toyota operated by Henry Bowman of Lillington.

Minivan Accident Claims One Life

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36845 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Minivan Accident Claims One Life

Five family members were killed and one person died in accident in Duplin County.

A family from Virginia were traveling home from Carolina Beach. The minivan was on West Trade Road in Calypso attempting to cross U.S. Highway 117 when it was hit by an eighteen wheel hog truck.

There were four adults and three children. A male adult was killed in the accident. A female had to be life-flighted to WakeMed. Four others were transported to area hospitals to be treated for injuries.

There were no charges filed.

There is a caution light where the accident occurred. There have been numerous accidents to occur in the same location.

Fatal Accident in Vance County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36846 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fatal Accident in Vance County

A woman was killed when her vehicle crossed the center line on Stewart Farm Road, east of Henderson and hit another vehicle head-on Tuesday evening.

The deceased was identified as Gladys Adcox, 40, of Henderson.

Patrick Williams, 34, of Henderson was the driver of the truck.

According to the trooper, no charges were filed.

Fatal Accident in Vance County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36847 — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fatal Accident in Vance County

A woman was killed when her vehicle crossed the center line on Stewart Farm Road, east of Henderson and hit another vehicle head-on Tuesday evening.

The deceased was identified as Gladys Adcox, 40, of Henderson.

Patrick Williams, 34, of Henderson was the driver of the truck.

According to the trooper, no charges were filed.

Case Settled with Kentucky Worker Strip Search

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35976 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

McDonald’s has withdrawn a petition to the Kentucky Supreme Court over a $6.1 million award to a former fast food worker who was forced to strip after someone called posing as a police officer. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that the company withdrew it petition asking the High Court to hear the case and agreed to a settlement with the victim.

The victim, Louise Ogborn, was accused of stealing. So the assistant manager was being told to bring Miss Ogborn in her office and was to have her strip searched. Once Louise was down to just an apron, because the imposter pretended to be a law enforcement officer on the phone told the assistant manager to have her to do jumping jacks. While it was a busy Friday night, the assistant manager couldn’t always be in her office so the man on the phone kept telling her to bring in other people to watch Miss Ogborn. While the assistant manager was watching after the restaurant, Louise was being not only humiliated, but also sexually harassed. The man on the phone was having Louise do sexual acts for a 58 year old maintenance man that worked at the McDonalds.

Once the real police were actually called and arrived at the restaurant, they let Miss Ogborn go and were trying to figure out where the call was from. They thought that it was probably from a pay phone somewhere. But because someone used *69, they tracked it and found out that the caller was using a pay phone in Panama City, Florida.

Come to find out, there has actually been about 10 years worth of hoax phone calls from everywhere around the world having innocent people doing horrible things for others. A lower appellate court ruled that the Illinois-based McDonald’s Corporation actually knew about the series of hoax calls to restaurants around the country, but didn’t warn the employees til Louise Ogborn was strip searched and sexually assaulted.

Lenoir Teens Killed in Georgia Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36739 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Lenoir Teens Killed in Georgia Accident

Two teenagers from Lenoir Couty were killed in an accident on Interstate 95 in southern Georgia.

Claude Humphrey, of Deep Run, was traveling south just a few miles from the Florida state line. The rear tire on the vehicle Humphrey was driving blew out causing him to lose control of the vehicle. Humphrey's vehicle ran off the Interstate, overturned in aa ditch and struck a tree.

Katlyn Humphrey, 15, and Taylor Humphrey, 18, wrer killed in the accident. Neither of the two teens were wearing a seatbelt and were thrown from the vehicle.

Claude Humphrey, 51, and Carly Humphrey, 12, were transported to Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville, Fl.

Beverly Hunter, 48, was transported to Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center in Kingsland, Ga

Mount Airy Woman Dies Of Injuries Sustained In Motorcycle Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36791 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Mount Airy woman who suffered personal injuries in a July 5 motorcycle accident has now died of those injuries, the North Carolina Highway Patrol said.

According to a report filed by Trooper J.L. Martin, 40-year-old Gina Leann Jones sustained massive head trauma and died on July 22.

The report said that Jones was a passenger on a motorcycle operated by 49-year-old Mount Airy resident Dale Allen Trenter. They were westbound on U.S. 74 near the Scotland-Rockingham county line when the accident occurred.

According to the report, Jones is believed to have fallen asleep and fallen against Trenter’s back, causing him to lose control of the 2004 Harley Davidson. The bike overturned, ejecting both occupants.

According to Jones’ obituary in the Mount Airy newspaper, she was pronounced dead at a hospital in Charlotte.

Massive Wreck In Missouri Leaves Two Dead, Dozens Injured

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36793 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two buses transporting high school band students to an amusement park were involved in a crash on a freeway in Missouri also involving a tractor-trailer on August 5. Two people were killed in the accident and dozens suffered personal injuries, officials say.

According to Missouri Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jorma Duran, it has been confirmed that two people died, but she could not immediately say if they were occupants of one of the school buses.

SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center spokeswoman Ashley Wiehle said that 36 children received hospital transport. They were considered to be in good condition and were examined as a precaution.

The buses were transporting students from St. James High School. They were en route to the Six Flags amusement park located approximately 10 miles from the scene of the crash.

Aerial footage of the scene showed that the front end of one of the buses came to rest on top of the back of the tractor-trailer's cab. The second bus collided with a rear corner of the first bus. Firefighters hosed down the mangled debris and metal ladders provided access to the windows on the buses.

One Dead, One Injured In Accident Near Henderson

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36794 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

One woman suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on August 4 in which her vehicle crossed the center line of Stewart Farm Road, east of Henderson, and collided head-on with another vehicle, according to North Carolina state troopers.

The woman was identified by troopers as 40-year-old Henderson resident Gladys Chastian Adcox.

The driver of the second vehicle, 34-year-old Patrick O’Neal Williams, received transport to Maria Parham Medical Center for treatment for injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

Fayetteville Woman Attacked By Pit Bulls To Undergo Rabies Treatment

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36795 — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

There are a few more details in the case of a Fayetteville woman who told police she suffered personal injuries from being attacked by a pair of pit bulls in the Bonnie Doone area on the afternoon of August 2.

Police officers who responded to the scene said that 45-year-old Phyllis Ward sustained multiple puncture wounds to her legs because of dog bites.

Ward told police that she had been attacked by the dogs about 3:30 p.m. along Patton and Grooms streets.

Upon arrival, the officers came under an attempted attack by one of the dogs. One officer shot the dog, which fled into the woods, where it was later found dead and turned over to Animal Services.

The dog had no ID tags or collar, so it was unknown whether it was rabid, police say.

Ward received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for treatment. Police say she is also to undergo treatment for rabies.

Jury Awards Millions in Workplace Fall

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35975 — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The widow of a painter, who died when he fell 150 feet from a water tower recovered a verdict of $10 million from a Russell County, Alabama jury. Erica Dupree, the widow, sued her husband’s employer, a contractor, a Montgomery engineering firm, and the Russell County Water Authority, contending the Defendants failed to proved safe working conditions that led to her husband’s fatal fall in 2008. The worker, Christopher Dupree, was killed in 2008 when he fell about 150 feet while helping paint a water tank in Hurtsboro, Alabama.

The painting company, water authority and engineering firm were dismissed as Defendants before the trial. The lawsuit was amended to focus on the construction company because, as the general contractor on the project, it was responsible for workplace safety. There was an investigation by OSHA and it found safety violation at the water tank work site. Jurors were asked to return a verdict that would send a message to all employers that they must provide a safe working environment for employees.

Dealer Lawsuit Settles Against North Carolina

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35974 — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Chrysler Group LLC has settled a lawsuit that was filed against the state of North Carolina. The law that was involved in the suit gives dealers the right to block automaker’s plan to thin out its dealership ranks. The automaker said in a statement that North Carolina has agreed not to enforce a recently-passed law that gives dealers who were cut by Chrysler the right to challenge or stop the company from awarding new franchises in their area. Chrysler, who is pursuing lawsuits again Oregon, Maine and Illinois, which recently enacted similar laws. Chrysler was claimed in a lawsuit filed last year with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York that the state laws are trumped by the bankruptcy court order approving plans to eliminate 789 dealerships.

One Dead, One Seriously Injured In Fayetteville Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36607 — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident at the intersection of Yadkin Road and Pima Drive in Fayetteville on the morning of August 3, according to police.

Police say 25-year-old Dominic Tearry was eastbound on Yadkin road when his vehicle ran off the road and hit the curb. The vehicle lost control, overturned, and collided with a light pole.

Tearry and his passenger, 30-year-old Shaun Tearry, were ejected from the vehicle. Shaun Tearry was pronounced dead at the scene and Dominic Tearry received transport to Cape Fear Valley Hospital with injuries that were considered to be serious.

The two men are cousins.

Police say the accident remains under investigation and charges, if any, have yet to be filed.

Fayetteville Woman Attacked By Pit Bulls

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36608 — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Fayetteville received hospital transport on August 2 for the personal injuries she suffered when she was attacked by a pair of pit bulls.

According to what 47-year-old Phyllis Ward told police, she was walking on Patton Drive, near Grooms Street, when she was attacked by the dogs.

Ward sustained multiple bite wounds and received transport to an area hospital to undergo treatment.

Police say that upon arrival, one of the dogs attempted to attack the responding officers and was shot. It was later found dead in woods nearby. The dog had no identification tags and was retrieved by animal control.

Police were continuing to search for the other dog as of that afternoon.

Toyota Minivans Recalled

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35972 — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

There are about 600,000 Toyota Sienna minivans being recalled by Toyota Motor Sales. The models that are being recalled are 1998-2010. They are being recalled to "address potential corrosion in the spare tire carrier cable." The recall covers 2 wheel drive minivans that come with a spare tire and driven in cold climates with high road salt usage. Vehicles currently registered in Washington DC and the following states are involved in this recall. Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

Toyota has said something that everyone should read about their minivans. "Continued prolonged exposure to road salts may cause excessive corrosion of the carrier cable in some of these vehicles. In worst case, the carrier cable may fail and the spare tire could become separated from the vehicle, a road hazard for following vehicles that increases the likelihood of a crash."

Toyota is sending notices to their Sienna customers instructing them to bring their vehicle to a dealership for a free inspection. If a Toyota Sienna owner has already paid for the repair of his or her tire carrier cable for this problem before having received Toyota’s notification. Toyota wants the owner of the car to send in a copy of the repair order, proof-of-payment, and proof-of-ownership.

Greensboro Woman Charged In Accident That Claimed Moped Driver

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36443 — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Greensboro is faced with multiple charges after police say she struck a man on a moped, who suffered fatal personal injuries in the accident.

Police say that at about 2:30 a.m. on August 1, 34-year-old Laree Johnson was traveling along West Florida Street in a 199 Honda Passport when she turned onto Hardie Street and struck a moped operated by Victor Cruz-Orosco.

Cruz-Orosco received hospital transport, but was later pronounced dead there.

Upon locating Johnson, police plan to charge her with felony death by vehicle, driving without a license, and driving while intoxicated.

Charlotte Woman, 19, Had Pending DWI Charge Prior To Accident That Injured Three Pedestrians

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36445 — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 19-year-old accused of hitting and causing personal injuries to three pedestrians while driving drunk in Charlotte on the morning of August 1 was already scheduled to appear in court for a prior DWI offense.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said that at approximately 2 a.m., 19-year-old Kirstie Pienta struck several pedestrians along 7th Street and dragged one of them for about 100 feet.

According to witnesses, the silver Mercedes Pienta was driving was traveling at an estimated speed of at least 45 mph in a 35 mph zone and that she never applied her brakes, even after the accident.

Pienta is to be charged with DWI, driving on a revoked license, driving after consuming alcohol under the age of 21, and reckless driving.

Police believe Pienta to have been drinking with friends at her apartment shortly before the accident. She lives just two blocks from the scene of the accident.

Prior to the August 1 accident, Pienta already had pending charges in Mecklenburg County for DWI, speeding, following too closely, civil revocation of license, and driving after consumption under the age of 21. She has a court appearance scheduled during August.

Two of the victims, Michael Hayes and Damion Jenkins, both Charlotte residents, received a glancing blow from the right side of the vehicle. Ohio resident Danielle Moore was struck by the front of the car and dragged 99 feet, according to police.

Moore and Pienta received transport to Carolinas Medical Center with serious injuries. Pienta was listed in critical condition and Moore had been upgraded to fair condition as of August 2.

Hayes and Jenkins suffered minor injuries and were taken to Presbyterian Hospital.

The Mercedes is owned by Steven Pienta, who resides at the same address as Kirstie Pienta.

Lawsuit Settled with School Bus Company

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35971 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A school bus company, First Student Inc. which is operated in Maryland, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit involving overtime pay. Employees that were bus drivers and aides, brought this on because the lawsuit alleged that First Student had avoided paying overtime compensation to the employees by recording the employee’s various duties separately. If an employee spent 30 hours per week driving a school bus and 20 hours training other people, the employee’s time spent working would not be documented as a 50-hour workweek. The time spent working would be recorded separately so as to indicate that the person worked less than 40 hours that particular week instead. The Fair Labor Standard Act, the federal act governing wage and hour issues such as overtime compensation, requires an employer to pay one-time-and-a-half the rate of an employee’s pay when the employee works more the 40 hours per week.

Woman Critically Injured In Accident Near Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36322 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A crash on the morning of July 30 near Charlotte in which one woman suffered critical personal injuries is under investigation by the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Emergency crews were summoned to the scene on Interstate 85 near Graham Street shortly after 7:30 a.m. after a collision between a tractor trailer and a car.

The NCHP said the woman, who was traveling in a small passenger car, ran off the right shoulder and collided with a barrier wall. The impact caused her vehicle to travel back onto I-85, where it hit the wheels on the trailer of the tractor-trailer at an angle.

Charlotte firefighters say it took nearly 14 minutes to extract the woman from her vehicle after she had become entrapped. She was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with injuries that were considered to be life-threatening.

Woman Dead In Accident Near Burgaw

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36323 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 24-year-old woman, who was not wearing her seat belt at the time, suffered fatal personal injuries near Burgaw when her car overturned and collided with a tree.

The accident took place at approximately 9 p.m. on July 30 on Penderlea Highway, slightly north of Burgaw.

The victim, identified as 24-year-old Starlett Marie Days, died at the scene.

Authorities said that speed was considered to be a factor in the accident. When Days swerved, the vehicle overturned before striking the tree.

Ladies Peacoats Recalled

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35969 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

There has been about 800 women’s peacoats that have been recalled by Foria International Incorporated of City of Industry, California. The coats do not meet the federal flammability standard for wearing apparel and they also pose a risk of a burn injury. This recall involves women’s peacoats that are double-breasted and have long sleeves. These coats are made from 100% cotton fleece in large blue and white plaid print. The word "Authentic" is printed on the label at the center back neckline of the garments. The coats were sold in Bass Pro Shops nationwide from October 2009 through January 2010 for about $60. Consumer’s who have bought a peacoat should stop using the coat immediately and return them to Foria International Inc. for a full refund of retail price including shipping. The address for Foria International Inc. is 18689 Arenth Ave. City of Industry, California, 91748. If any other information is needed, there is also a website and it is www.foria.com.

Ladies Peacoats Recalled

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35970 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

NASCAR Team Owner Jack Roush Injured In Plane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36302 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

NASCAR team owner Jack Roush was transferred to the Mayo Clinic after undergoing surgery for facial personal injuries he suffered in a Wisconsin plane crash.

In a July 29 statement, Roush Fenway Racing said that Roush had been taken to the Mayo Clinic the day before and has been listed in serious but stable condition. The team did not specify the manner of injuries he sustained in the July 27 accident.

Another passenger on the plane, Roush’s friend Brenda Stricklin, underwent treatment and was released from a hospital in Wisconsin on the afternoon of July 28.

Roush, an aviation buff, was in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to attend the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture event. He survived another crash in 2002.

According to the EAA, a Beechcraft Premier business jet registered to Roush Fenway Racing, LLC was involved in a landing accident at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh at approximately 6:15 p.m. on July 27.

Two From Durham Dead, Two Injured In Virginia Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)36303 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Authorities say two men from Durham suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on Interstate 95 north of Richmond, Virginia.

According to authorities, a 2004 Oldsmobile Alero was northbound on I-95 near Route 30 at approximately 7 a.m. when the driver, 51-year-old Teresa E. Bridges, ran off the road to the left, over-corrected, and collided with a tree.

The vehicle’s two back-seat passengers died in the accident. They were identified by authorities as 75-year-old Joe L. Thomas and 45-year-old Garry W. Estes. Thomas was not wearing his seat belt, but Estes was.

Bridges, who was not wearing her seat belt, sustained serious injuries, but her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. She received transport to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond.

A front seat passenger, 52-year-old Spencer D. Bridges, who was wearing his seat belt, sustained serious injuries that were considered to be life-threatening and also received transport to VCU Medical.

The family was on their way from Durham to Washington, D.C. to attend a college graduation, authorities said.

Driver fatigue was considered a factor in the accident and Teresa Bridges was charged with reckless driving.

Frozen Yellow Fin Tuna Recalled

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35921 — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Frozen yellow fin tuna with best-by dates of December 5, 2010 are being recalled by Whole Foods Market because they may have high levels of histamine. High levels of histamine can cause an allergic reaction called scombroid poisoning. Some of the symptoms of this poisoning are facial swelling, tingling or burning sensation in the mouth, rash, hives and itchy skin, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. There have been two incidents that have been reported.

The fish was sold in a number of states. They are Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Connecticut, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Maine and Washington D.C.

You may also find more information about the recall by calling (512)542-0656.

Tracheostomy Tubes Recalled After the Death of Three People

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35920 — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

There is a company in Massachusetts that is recalling tracheostomy tubes that are used to help patients on ventilators breathe. There have been reports that three people have died while using them. The company told the FDA that there were also about 1,200 complaints of leak involving the recalled devices. The FDA is supposed to be investigating the complaints and death of the three people. The recall affects trach tubes placed in the patients’ throats that are on ventilators to help them breath better.

Covidien, the company, is recalling certain cuffed Shiley-branded custom trach tubes and also Shiley-branded custom trach tubes because the product’s cuff may not hold air due to a possible leak in the pilot balloon. Because of this, it could result in a sudden decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blook or a sudden increase in the amount of carbon dioxide that can lead to serious injury or even death.

MetLife Pays to End and Settle Their Case

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35812 — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The largest U.S. insurer, MetLife Inc. has just agreed to pay $13.5 million to settle a federal government investigation into improper payments. These payments were made to a San Diego-based insurance broker. The U.S. Justice Department said the millions of dollars of payments MetLife made to the insurance broker, were not shown to MetLife’s customers or reported by MetLife as required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

According to the agreement entered into by the New-York based company, MetLife had adopted a program of undisclosed payments designed to induce the insurance broker and its top executive to recommend MetLife to its other clients. It was said that MetLife’s sales force was also instructed to leverage the improper payments to promote MetLife products. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego said that it agreed to the settlement, mostly because of MetLife’s voluntary and full disclosure of conduct, its cooperation and previous payments to its policy holders.

MetLife reserves the right to change the terms of the Supplemental Compensation Plan or to discontinue the sale of any product. It is not MetLife’s practice to specifically factor Supplemental Compensation into the price of a customer’s group insurance plan. However, Supplemental Compensation is a component of MetLife’s Institutional Business distribution expenses and, like other expenses, is factored into the price structure of MetLife’s Institutional Business products.

Schwab Agreed to Pay Millions In a Fund Settlement

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35811 — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Charles Schwab Corp. has agreed to pay $200 million to aggrieved investors who claimed the company had deceived them. Afther the terms of the settlement was released, shares rose as investors had feared the final settlement costs would be much higher. It is also paying the $200 million because it the corporation has misled investors on the amount of mortgage-backed securities held by its Schwab Yield-Plus Fund. The company agreed to repay customers in its Yield-Plus Fund which the plaintiffs said deceived them about the nature of short-term investments that lost them a lot of money when the credit crisis struck.

Schwab agreed to settle the claims filed in 2008 by paying the $200 million to Plaintiffs. The lawsuit alleged that Schwab incorrectly described the fund, once the world’s largest short-term bond fund, as "safe". There was a trial that was set for this month. William H. Alsup, U.S. District Judge, has denied Schwab’s bid to dismiss the case earlier this year. Steve Berman, a lawyer with Seattle-based Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, represented the investors.

Drunk Driving Turned Fatel

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35674 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A bar that served a police officer alcohol have agreed to pay a total of $2.25 million, which is the limit of their insurance policies, to compensate the families of four young people killed and a man injured in an traffic crash.

A wrongful-death case was brought against the off duty police officer by the families of the dead victims’ families and the survivor of the crash. The police officer who was off duty at the time, drank a high quantity of alcohol at a restaurant and bar, and then drove her car into oncoming traffic. The officer is now awaiting a criminal trial on manslaughter charges.

The officer is at fault based on allegation of drunk driving and also driving on the wrong side of the road. Her blood-alcohol content, according to the investigation officers, was 0.169% there hours after the crash. The legal limit for drunk driving in the state is 0.08%.

^{The parents are also suing the restaurant because it’s employees knew that the officer was intoxicated and failed to stop her from driving or call her a cab. Interestingly, the restaurant is in a strip mall about 1,000 feet from the police station. Also it is alleged that the bar workers still served the officer alcohol despite her slurred speech and unsteady gait.
Under the state’s "dram shop law", a bar or restaurant can be held liable for injury or death cause later by inebriated patron.

The suit was filed on June 15th; six days after the criminal charges were brought against the officer. The officer faces four counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, plus one count of second-degree assault for injuries sufferd by the other car's driver. The police department put the officer of unpaid suspension after the charges were filed. The crash occurred at 1:45am on March 21st when the officer's Mitsubishi collided with a Honda. This case is a horrible reminder that drinking and driving never pays and often results in innocent lives being lost.}

Woman Files Suit Over Fall At McDonald's

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35826 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed a personal injury suit against a McDonald’s in Putnam County, West Virginia for injuries she suffered there in a 2008 incident.

According to the suit April Wise filed against McDonald’s of Teays Valley in West Virginia’s Putnam Circuit Court on June 15, as she was entering the restaurant on June 16, 2008, she slipped and fell, resulting in multiple bodily injuries.

In addition to the restaurant, John Does 1-4, John Doe Entity, McDonald’s Restaurants of West Virginia Inc., McDonald’s Corp., and McDonald’s USA LLC have been named as defendants.

Wise alleges that upon entering the restaurant’s foyer, she slipped and fell on a wet floor. She said that no warning signs had been “posted within the proximity of the foyer” and that “the non-slip mat/carpet was removed from the foyer” at the time of the accident. She claims the manager, employees, and/or store operator should have known about the danger presented by the wet and slippery floor.

Wise claims the fall caused her to sustain serious injuries including to her back, neck, right arm, and wrist, pain, discomfort, annoyance, and inconvenience and incur a loss of wages and medical costs.

Wise seeks unspecified damages plus costs of suit.

Woman Files Suit After Falling Over Construction Materials At Convenience Store

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35827 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed a personal injury suit against a convenience store in Hurricane, West Virginia she alleges is responsible for the injuries she suffered in a visit there in 2009.

According to the suit Jackie E. Kerdsri filed on June 24 against Mid Valley Mart LLC in West Virginia’s Putnam Circuit Court, construction materials near one of the entrances to Mid Valley Mart caused her to fall and suffer injuries.

Kerdsri says she went to Mid Valley Mart in Hurricane on July 16, 2009. She says as she exited through a side door because of construction at or near another doorway. Upon exiting, she “tripped and fell into a pile of concrete and other rubble from the construction zone,” causing a fracture in her left foot.

Kerdsri is seeking unspecified damages plus costs of suit.

Suit Filed Over Collision At Gas Pump

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35828 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man has filed a personal injury suit claiming that a driver struck his car as it was parked at a gas pump.

According to the suit Derrick Streeper filed on July 9 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court, naming Margaret E. Hill as a defendant, he parked his 2005 General Motors Sierra 4x2 truck at a gas pump at Casey’s General Store in Alton, Illinois on July 11 when it was struck by a 2004 International Straight truck driven by Hill in the parking lot.

The suit claims that at the time of the incident, Hill made an improper turn, causing her vehicle to collide with Streeper’s vehicle.

Streeper says that the collision caused him to suffer neck, back, shoulder, and other bodily injuries, incur medical expenses, be prevented from attending to his normal duties and affairs, sustain property damage, and lose wages.

Streeper seeks damages of more than $50,000.

Woman Claims She Became Quadriplegic After Surgery

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35829 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman who became quadriplegic claims the disabling personal injuries that caused her to lose feeling in her arms and legs occurred because of surgery she underwent at a hospital in Mount Vernon, Illinois.

According to suit she filed against Good Samaritan Hospital, Dr. Waqqas Kahn, and Dr. Kevin Claffey on July 8 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court, E. Marlene Summers visited the hospital at the advice of Kahn, her doctor, for the installation of a trial dorsal column stimulator, a device that stimulates nerves by tiny electrical impulses. The complaint says the device is typically implanted in people with chronic and severe pain.

But the suit claims that before and after the device was implanted by Kahn and Claffey on September 26, 2008, they did not prescribe any antibiotics for Summers.

On October 1, 2008, Summers returned to the hospital for an infection around the area where the doctors had performed the surgery, according to the complaint. The stimulator was surgically removed and Summers was released from the hospital on October 14, 2008.

Summers again returned to the hospital on October 22, 2008 complaining of general feelings of uneasiness and fatigue, the suit says. During the following evening, doctors performed a cervical MRI on Summers, revealing osteomyelitis with an epidural abscess creating severe cranal stenosis.

Summers received air transport to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri on October 24, 2008, according to the complaint. She was eventually transferred from there to a residential care facility.

As of her filing the suit, Summers says that she has no feeling below her chest and is unable to turn her head, though she can slightly move her arms and shoulders. The suit claims she now requires 100 percent assistance.

Summers claims the infection caused her to incur medical expenses and suffer permanent pain, suffering, disability, and disfigurement.

Summers alleges negligence on the part of the hospital and doctors for failure to perform a proper pre-operative workup, failure to order a cervical MRI, failure to administer an appropriate antibiotic regimen, allowing physicians to perform procedures when they did not have proper credentials, failure to identify her surgical abscess in a timely manner, and failure to properly treat her infection.

Summers seeks damages in excess of $150,000, plus costs, from the three-count suit.

Woman Claims Driver Intoxicated In Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35830 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed a personal injury suit against the driver she claims caused a collision due to intoxication.

According to the suit she filed in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court on July 9 against Michael W. Robey Jr., Amanda M. Myers was westbound in a 1993 Ford Explorer on July 14, 2008 when she was struck from behind by a 1977 Buick Electra driven in the same lane by Robey. The collision caused her to run off the road and collide with a median guide wire.

Myers claims the accident caused her to suffer injuries to her ribs, hip, neck, and leg, experience pain and suffering, incur medical expenses, lose earnings and earning capacity, suffer disfigurement and disability, and lose her normal life.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Robey for failure to maintain a proper lookout, failure to reduce speed in order to avoid a collision, following too closely, driving with a blood-alcohol content in excess of the legal limit of 0.08 percent, driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving under the influence of an intoxicating compound or a combination of them.

Myers is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

Worker Seeks Additional Benefits After Struck By Metal Ball At Work

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35831 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

In spite of the fact that his employer has offered to pay him benefits, a man has still filed suit against his employer, alleging that he is entitled to additional benefits after he suffered personal injuries while working.

According to the suit filed on July 8 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court by Robert Vandygriff, he claims he should receive at least $45 in maintenance per day for injuries he suffered on July 20 while working on Barge BB-1, owned by defendant National Maintenance and Repair.

The suit says that Vandygriff suffered a closed head injury, facial lacerations, and neck and back injuries after he was struck on the head by a large metal ball attached to a crane that suddenly fell.

Vandygriff claims that in addition to his injuries, the accident caused him to lose wages and earning capacity, experience physical pain and mental suffering, incur medical expenses, and suffer disability.

Though his employer has already provided him with medical expenses and other interim benefits, Vandygriff claims he is entitled to additional benefits. However, he does admit that the company is entitled to a credit for costs it has already paid.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of National Maintenance for failure to provide adequate training for employees, failure to inspect the work area for hazards, and failure to provide safe tools equipment, and supervision.

Vandygriff seeks unspecified damages from the three-count suit.

Barge Worker Claims Poor Visibility Caused Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35832 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man has filed a personal injury suit alleging that he suffered injuries to his knee after he tripped over rigging while boarding a barge.

According to the suit John Peebles filed on July 7 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court, naming Bulk Service/Bulk Service of Tyler Street and Lewis and Clark Marine as defendants, he was working as a deckhand for Bulk Service on August 8 when the incident occurred as he was walking across the working deck of a barge.

The suit says that prior to Peebles’ fall, the barge had been loaded with grain, causing a large amount of grain dust to be released in the air, diminishing visibility. When he boarded the barge, it was dark and the lighting had been “distorted or diminished” by the grain dust.

Peebles says the diminished visibility was the reason for his fall, which he claims forced him to have surgery, lose wages and earning capacity, experience pain, suffering, and anguish, and incur medical expenses.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Bulk Service for failure to provide a safe workplace, failure to inspect the work area, failure to provide sufficient training, and failure to provide adequate assistance.

The suit also names Lewis and Clark as a defendant due to one of its employees leaving the rigging he fell over in the walkway.

Peebles is seeking unspecified damages from the three-count suit.

Chuck E. Cheese Settles Playground Injury Suit

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35833 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Less than two months after a personal injury suit was filed, the owners of Chuck E. Cheese opted to settle with a woman from Harris County, Texas who blamed the pizzeria for failure to supervise her son as he played on a slide.

The suit was filed on April 23 in Texas’ Jefferson County District Court, naming CEC Entertainment, doing business as Chuck E. Cheese, as a defendant.

According to the suit, Wilson’s minor son, King Hall, fell from a slide on a playground and broke his arm.

Instead of arguing whether it was Wilson’s responsibility to monitor her son, the company opted to settle the suit in mid June for an undisclosed amount.

Wilson successfully petitioned 136th District Court Judge Milton Shuffield on July 19 to begin withdrawing settlement funds from the account set up for her son.

Wilson claimed that on December 2, 2008, she took her son to a Chuck E. Cheese in Beaumont, Texas. He was playing in an “overly crowded area” where “it was clear there was not proper supervision from the employees.”

Wilson claims that her son’s fall will cause him to experience a diminished earning capacity and that he sustained physical impairment, mental anguish, physical pain, and disfigurement. She also claims lost parental consortium and that she incurred medical costs.

Mail Carrier Files Suit Against Dog Owner After Two Attacks

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35834 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

After two separate hectic encounters with the same “big black dog,” an employee of the U.S. Postal service is taking action by filing a personal injury suit against the dog’s owner.

According to the suit mail carrier Marcus Lockhart filed against him on July 20, in Texas’ Jefferson County District Court, John Fore Jr. was aware that his dog “had a propensity to attack people’ but refused to place a lock on the gate to his fence and keep the dog in the backyard.

The suit claims that Lockhart was attacked twice within a year’s time by the dog.

In the first incident, which took place on July 28, 2008, Lockhart was making a delivery to a home in Beaumont, Texas when a large black dog came out of a gate that had been left open and attacked him. He used his mailbag to shield himself from the dog, but suffered a cut to his right hand. Animal Control was called after the attack.

Lockhart was delivering mail to the same residence on April 19, 2009 when the same dog emerged from the same gate that had once again been left open. He again placed his bag between himself and the dog, but fell to the ground and twisted his left knee and ankle. Animal Control was once again contacted.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Fore for knowing of his dog’s propensity to attack others, but failing to keep the canine on a leash or secured in the backyard.

Lloyd Hughes was also named as a defendant, also claiming that he “was aware of the dog’s vicious nature.”

Lockhart seeks damages for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, impairment, and mental anguish.

Suit Says "Unreasonably Dangerous" Exercise Bike Tore Minor's Fingers Off

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35835 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A mother has filed a personal injury suit against the manufacturers of an exercise bicycle after her unattended child lost his fingers when his hand got caught in the equipment.

On July 19, Josh and Diane Willeford, individually and as next friend of minor L.W., filed suit in Sherman, Texas against Romfab, a.k.a. Four Minute Workout, a.k.a. Fastexercise.

On December 7, 2009, Diane Willeford was at work at Fast Fitness, with her 5-year-old sons, identified as W.W. and L.W. due to their minor status, and her sister. The complaint said L.W. “wanted to ‘exercise,’ so Diane took him to one of the R.O.M. bicycles.

Diane watched as he rode the bicycle when her sister called her. She stepped approximately 10 feet from the bicycle when she heard her son screaming. The suit says that due to there being no protective guard on the bicycle, L.W. had his hand caught between the flywheel and chain, causing his fingers to be torn off.

L.W. received ambulance transport to the hospital, but in spite of efforts to reattach his fingers, two fingers remained amputated and another finger was severely damaged and required additional surgery.

The Willefords claim that the exercise bike was not reasonably designed, manufactured, marketed, assembled, or tested. They seek damages for extreme emotional distress, mental anguish, pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement and impairment, diminished earning capacity, medical costs, interest, and court expenses.

Suit Filed After Student Injured When Vehicle Strikes School Bus

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35836 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed a personal injury suit against the person she claims was driving the vehicle that collided with the school bus on which a child rode.

Rachel Rigmaiden, on behalf of minor Charmae Ceasar, filed suit in Texas’ Jefferson County District Court on July 9, claiming that defendant David Median, driving a vehicle owned by co-defendant Maria Felix, failed to yield the right-of-way at a stop sign and collided with a Beaumont Independent School district bus on which Ceasar was riding on September 22, 2009.

The suit claims the collision caused Ceasar to incur medical expenses and experience physical pain, mental anguish, disfigurement, and physical impairment.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Medina for failure to maintain a proper lookout, failure to maintain proper control of his vehicle, failure to maintain his vehicle in the proper lane, driving too fast, and failure to yield the right-of-way. The suit claims Felix was negligent for entrusting her vehicle to an incompetent and unfit driver.

The plaintiffs are seeking actual and exemplary damages.

Plaintiff Seeks Third Trial In Accident Suit Lasting More Than A Decade

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35837 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The plaintiff in a personal injury case that has lasted for more than a decade and has been tried in front of two juries is requesting a third trial.

According to plaintiff Cecil Dial Jr., he requests that a May verdict in the second trial of his suit against Bradley Joiner be set aside because of the improper testimony of an expert witness and “repeated” personal attacks against his attorney.

The initial suit is over injuries Dial says he suffered when he was struck by Joiner’s SUV while crossing the street near a middle school in Edwardsville, Illinois. Dial, then 11-years-old, claims he suffered a massive head injury among other injuries.

Joiner argued that Dial stepped into his vehicle’s path and he was unable to see the boy prior to impact and had no chance to stop.

Dial is seeking damages in excess of $1 million.

A July 9 case management order said that Dial’s plea would be heard on July 30.

The initial trial took place in 2004. Jurors were sequestered and at one point, there was a move for a mistrial. The first jury found for Joiner.

The case went to appellate court when Dial’s move for a new trial was granted by then-presiding judge, former Madison County Associate Judge Ralph Mendelsohn. That decision was appealed by the defense, but the appellate court agreed with Mendelsohn’s decision and the case was sent back to Madison County in 2005.

The May 2005 retrial was overseen by Madison County Associate Judge Clarence Harrison II.

At points during the retrial, the defense counsel questioned the tactics of the plaintiff’s attorneys, at times employing charged language.

During closing arguments, one of Dial’s attorneys told jurors that the defense attacked him and his partner because he was unable to disprove that Joiner was responsible for Dial’s injuries.

In the June 15 move for another retrial, Dial argued that the testimony of expert witness Nathan Shigemura was wrongly allowed into the case and that the attacks on his attorneys denied him a fair trial.

Woman Claims Injuries From Live Wire At Trailer Park

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35838 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed suit against Slack Group, claiming a live electrical wire caused her to suffer personal injuries.

According to the suit she filed on June 10 in West Virginia’s Kanawha Circuit Court, Cathy Seabolt was walking through the defendant’s trailer park on July 4, 2009 in order to visit a home there when she was shocked by an electrical wire.

Seabolt claims negligence on the part of the defendant for failure to shut the electricity to the wire off and keep the trailer park free of dangerous electrical materials. She said Slack Group failed to exercise due or reasonable care under the circumstances through their failure to properly maintain the premises. She said “it was foreseeable that a live electrical wire could have caused a tenant or their visitor to sustain severe injuries.”

Seabolt said that the incident resulted in serious injuries to her face, teeth, back, head, feet, and other bodily areas.

Seabolt seeks compensatory damages.

Mother Files Suit After Daughter Struck In Face By Bat At Softball Practice

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35839 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A mother has filed a personal injury suit against West Virginia’s Boone County Board of Education, alleging that her seventh-grade daughter sustained fractures to her nose and eye socket when she was struck in the face by a bat during softball practice in the Wharton Grade School gym.

Julie Sullivan, on behalf of her daughter, Mikaela Lynn Nottingham Sullivan, cites negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the part of the school board. Her complaint identifies Patty Joy Adkins as the coach of the Van Junior/Senior High team during a practice in April 2009.

Sullivan said that Adkins requested that her daughter play at the catcher position, but she was not provided with the proper safety equipment, including a face mask. She typically played in the outfield.

According to the complaint, Adkins was hitting softballs to teammates when she “hit Mikaela Lynn Nottingham Sullivan directly in the face with the metal baseball bat.”

The complaint said that Adkins never made an attempt to obtain medical treatment for the girl, despite a profuse nose bleed and swelling. She was taken to the hospital nearly five hours later by a family friend. There she received the diagnosis of a fractured nose and right eye socket, according to Sullivan.

Sullivan says that her daughter missed two weeks of school and was unable to participate in softball for the remainder of the year. She also claims lost wages while attending to her then 13-year-old daughter.

Sullivan has requested a trial by jury and seeks awards for past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost ability for the enjoyment of life, emotional distress and mental anguish, annoyance and inconvenience, scarring and disfigurement, litigation costs, lost wages, pre- and post-judgment interest, and other relief to which she and her daughter are entitled.

Car Ends Up in Cary Restaurant

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35852 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

An unamed driver was cited for failure to reduce speed after her minivan came to rest inside the Chef of India restaurant.

The driver, 32 years-old stated her foot slipped off the brake as she was parking in front of the restaurant. The driver's 6 year-old child was in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Sabrina Rigging, a patron inside the restaurant said it sounded and felt like an explosion.

Pedestrian Hit by Vehicle in Greenville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35853 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Mary Jordan Cleary, of Durham was the driver of a white Honda Accord that struck Anastasslya Georgiev in Greenville.

Cleary was charged with driving while impaired and felony hit-and-run.

After hitting Georgiev, Cleary left the scene of the accident, according to witnesses.

The Honda was spotted in the parking lot of Copper Beach Townhomes in Greenville by the East Carolina University police officers.

Georgiev of Wilmington was treated at a local hospital for injuries she received.

Fatality in Plane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35857 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

One of three listed on the pilot's flight plan list was recovered at a mobile home park in North Myrtle Beach, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford.

There were no survivors in the small aircraft.

The plane had taken off from Grand Strand Regional Airport in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The destination of the plane was to be Concord, N.C.

According to FAA records, the Piper PA-28 was registered to Robert O'Neale of Concord, N.C.

Two people at the home were transported to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.

Wrong- Way Driver Injures Nine

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35858 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Nine people were injured in an accident on U. S. 1 due to a vehivle traveling in the wrong direction.

Theses people were fortunate because the previous two accidents resulted in fatalities.

An inquiry from the Herald has prompted the recent fatalities to be reviewed to see if improvements need to be made in that area.

Fatality in Small PLane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35859 — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A small plaen crashed at the Horace Williams Airport in Chapel Hill.

One passenger was killed and two were injured, according to the authorities.

The plane, a single engine Cirrus XR 20 crashed in mid afternoon.

The plane is registered to Thomas S. Pitts LLC of Wilmington, Delaware.

One of the injured was Kyle Henn, the brother of a man killed in a terrorist bombing in Uganda.

Gardasil Use For Young Girls May Lead To Problems

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35668 — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A government report that was released is raising new questions about the vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and the Human Papillomavirus which is known as HPV, Gardasil. This vaccine has been linked to 32 unconfirmed deaths and shows higher incidences of fainting and blood clots than other vaccines.

Gardasil is a vaccine manufactured and marketed by Merck Sharp & Dohme, Ltd. The vaccine prevents four types of HPV, two types are thought to be associated with the development of Cervical Cancer and only occur in a very small percentage of patients. From 2006, the vaccine has been suggested for girls ages 9-26 and recently, it was approved for use in boys.

Gardasil became a big thing in 2007 when Merck began pushing it to become mandatory for all girls between ages 11 and 12 in the state of Texas. Even though it was not very successful in the state of Texas, more girls have been using it in Washington DC, and the state of Virginia.

Last year, there were numerous phone calls from a number of mothers of young girls who after receiving the vaccine suffered adverse events. Girls that were healthy and received the vaccination developed acute onset auto-immune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. There has been over 16,000 adverse events have been reported through the AERS. From the 16,000 events, more than 50 have been deaths.

Some very concerning news has also came to light, the vaccine has not been adequately tested for the safety or effectiveness in girls under the age of 15. According to a doctor researching this, the practice of vaccinating girls 15 and younger is a great public health experiment.

People who have been vaccinated and are experiencing health problems such as seizures, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, recourse may be available.

If you or a loved one has developed adverse conditions after being vaccinated with the Gardasil shot, call me at 1-800-849-5931. The call is free and there is no obligation.

Workers' Compensation Symposium Comes To Winston-Salem In August

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16355 — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Are you wondering about the state of North Carolina Workers’ Compensation? Are you an insurance company employee, lawmaker, or employer? You may be interested in attending a NC workers’ compensation symposium this August to learn more about how workers are protected and how well the system works.

The workers’ compensation event will be hosted Appalachian State University’s Brantley Risk and Insurance Center in the Walker College of Business on August 1 and August 2, 2010. The actual event will take place at the Embassy Suites Hotel located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

According to conference organizer Dr. David Marlett, the Chair of the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance in the Walker College of Business, the conference will focus on exactly how workers’ comp works in North Carolina and what we can all do to make the system work better for both injured employees and employers who want to keep their workers safe and cared for.

Speakers at the workers’ comp symposium will include from Robert P. Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute; N.C. Department of Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin; Mike Plavnicky, CEO of Montgomery Insurance; Andy Avram, an attorney at Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog; Nicole M. Coomer an economist at the Workers Compensation Research Institute; Ray Evans, the general manager at North Carolina Rate Bureau; Carol A. Telles, a senior analyst at Workers Compensation Research Institute; and N.C. Senator Doug Berger. The variety of speakers will allow discussions on a number of aspects and angles of workers’ comp and examine the program from a variety of perspectives.

Recalled Furniture Due To Violation of Lead Paint

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35665 — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Some 7,000 pieces of furniture were recalled on April 7th, 2010 because the surface coating on the decorative wood chest and tables could contain excessive levels of lead in violation of the federal lead paint standard. Hammary Furniture Co. is located in Lenior, North Carolina. Most of the products from Hammary Furniture Co. are manufactured in the Philippines, Vietnam and China.

The furniture was sold at all major department stores and also furniture retail stores from November 2001 through November 2009 for $200-$900. Furniture sold from April 2009 to the present will have a label that specifies the date of manufacture, the country of origin, the name Hammary Furniture and a product description. Any products that were manufactured before April 2009, will not have an identifiable marking on them.

　There has not been any incidents or injuries reported yet, but no one is wanting to have anyone getting hurt. Purchasers of the furniture are asked to immediately stop using the furniture and to send them back to receive a free replacement. There are pictures and a list of the furniture that may have the excessive levels of lead on the web at www.regcen.com/hammaryrecall.

Three Killed In Greensboro Car Accident That Involved Alcohol

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16353 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A North Carolina woman and her son are being charged with helping a minor purchase and consume alcohol – in this case, the teen who was served alcohol crashed a car and killed three people in February.

According to My Fox Channel 8, 51-year-old Theresa Brunkner and her son, 22-year-old Kyle Brunkner, have been charged by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement agents on three counts of aiding and abetting a person less than 21 years of age in possessing an alcoholic beverage.

North Carolina authorities say that 20-year-old Amanda Sperduti of Winston-Salem was given alcohol at the Brunkner’s home on the night of February 13, 2010. Shortly after leaving the home, Sperduti crashed the vehicle, killing three passengers, all of whom were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders: 18-year-old Sascha Adela Hoffman of Whitsett, 23-year-old Scott Wayne Bedwell of Greensboro, and 18-year-old Taylor Leigh McCaskill of Brown Summit. Sperduti herself was seriously injured in the car accident and charged with three felony counts of death by motor vehicle and several other related charges.

Sperduti had a blood alcohol content of 0.20, almost three times the legal limit in North Carolina. All three passengers had also been drinking. Cans of beer and a bottle of liquor were found in the car. NC Troopers estimate that Sperduti was traveling about 90 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone at the time of the DUI car accident. The deadly accident took place on Fairgrove Church Road off Highway N.C. 150 in Browns Summit, NC.

Improper Application of Flea and Tick Medicine Can Kill Your Pet

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35659 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fleas and ticks are everywhere. You always have to make sure that your pets are protected. But the products that are used on your dogs and cats also may harm them. So many pet owners have turned to "spot on" flea and tick medication that you apply once a month to keep them away. Veterinarians have been prescribing these treatments for a while now because they are very easy to use and also very affective. On the downside, just a little of this treatment can turn to poison.

There were 44,000 sick pets because of the "spot on" treatments reported by the EPA in 2008. That is about 50 percent more than the year before. 600 out of the 44,000 sick pets died because of the treatment. Some of the bad reactions to this poisonous treatment are diarrhea, vomiting, trembling, seizures and depression. The EPA doesn’t believe that it was a bad batch of medicine, but they believe it was being misused because the labels were unclear and people were not able to understand them. Some of the reasons that the pets are getting sick is because there are dangers in using a dog product on a cat, or using a product for a big dog, on a little dog.

The EPA said it will develop stricter testing and evaluation requirements for flea and tick treatments that are applied to a pet’s skin. The agency also will begin reviewing labels to determine which ones need to say more clearly how to use the products. There is also another concern. Flea and tick products made for dogs contain a pesticide called permethrin, which can kill a cat.

One way to keep your pet’s safe is to read the labels very carefully and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to this pesticide. By reading the label carefully, this will decrease the injuries and deaths of our pets.

Two Injured In Charlotte Crash Caused By Bee In Vehicle

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35741 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two people in Charlotte received hospital transport for the personal injuries they sustained after an accident on the morning of July 22 in which a bee inside the car caused the driver to swerve off the road.

The accident took place shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Oakdale Road.

Police officers who responded to the scene reported that the passenger and driver inside the Ford Taurus had been distracted by a bee inside the car. The driver swerved off the road and collided with a small tree.

Both occupants of the vehicle received hospital transport.

Virginia Man Killed In N.C. Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35742 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Harrisonburg, Virginia man suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on the morning of July 22 in North Carolina.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Dennis Knupp was killed when a van he was traveling in wrecked on Highway 117.

Knupp’s wife, Heather, was also an occupant of the vehicle. She received transport to the hospital in critical condition. Their three children and in-laws also received hospital transport.

According to reports, Knupp’s father-in-law was driving the vehicle. He ran a stop sign and failed to yield at a traffic light with a flashing red light prior to a collision with a hog truck.

Two Westfield Men Killed In Fiery Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35743 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A single-vehicle accident on the afternoon of July 22 resulted in two Westfield men suffering fatal personal injuries just inside the Stokes County line.

Trooper Joseph Beck of the North Carolina Highway Patrol said that 61-year-old Luther Clayton Vaughn was driving east in a black Chevrolet pickup truck at a “high rate of speed” on N.C. 89 at about 2 p.m. He ran off the road to the right while rounding a left-hand curve.

Vaughn struck two highway markers prior to colliding with a tree. The vehicle continued traveling along the shoulder and hit a second tree. Beck says the truck then spun around and collided with a third tree before coming to rest on the shoulder of the road and catching fire.

Beck said the occupants were pinned inside as the vehicle burned. The fire had already been extinguished by Francisco and Westfield volunteer firefighters by the time he arrived.

Vaughn was wearing his seat belt, but his passenger, 53-year-old Roger Wilson, of the same residence, was not. Both died at the scene.

Two Injured In N.C. 97 Head-On Collision

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35744 — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two people suffered personal injuries in a head-on collision on N.C. 97 near N.C. 231 on the morning of July 16.

According to Trooper C.T. Williams of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Spring Hope resident Franklin Joseph Anderson was eastbound on 97 shortly after 10 a.m. when he crossed the centerline and collided with a vehicle driven by Rocky Mount resident Michael Scott Pearce.

Williams said that the 1994 Dodge truck Anderson was driving spun around and came to rest facing north. The 1983 Ford Pearce was driving ran off the road to the right and came to rest facing south.

Neither suffered injuries that were considered life-threatening, but Anderson received transport to WakeMed.

Police charged Anderson with driving left of center.

Wrong Way Accident On I-77 Near Charlotte Caused By Drunk Driver

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16352 — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A wrong way driver on Interstate 77 in North Carolina caused a truck accident this week – and the NC Highway Patrol believes that alcohol was the main factor in this wrong way interstate accident.

According to WBTV New Channel 3 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the accident took place just after two in the morning in the heart of Charlotte. A man who had come from a drinking establishment drove on the exit ramp onto I-77 going in the wrong direction. The man, identified as 61-year-old Arthur Bidgood of Charlotte, continued driving the wrong way on the interstate near the John Belk Freeway until he caused a pickup with an attached trailer to serve and jackknife. A tractor-trailer then ran into the pickup truck’s trailer. Paint from the first trailer was spilled across the interstate and Bidgood received minor injuries in the wrong way drunk driving car accident.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol charged Bidgood with Drinking While Impaired, Reckless Driving, and Driving the Wrong Way. The DUI car accident took place on Thursday, July 15.

Drinking and driving is the most common cause of wrong way interstate accidents in North Carolina. Other causes of wrong way accidents are confused drivers, poor road design, and poor signage. Wrong way interstate accidents are more common than most people know, with hundreds of serious accidents happening each year around the country. In many cases, these car accidents are fatal because vehicles often collide head-on going at very high rates of speed.

Britthaven Faces Another North Carolina Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16348 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Britthaven nursing homes, which have a long history of substandard care throughout their 43 locations across North Carolina, is at the center of another nursing home neglect lawsuit. According to the Charlotte News-Observer, Jadwiga Orlowski is suing Britthaven for the death of her husband, Marian Orlowski.

Jadwiga says that she moved her husband to the North Carolina nursing home in 2008, where he died two years later, on July 16, 2010. On the first day of his arrival at the nursing home two years ago, her husband was found on the floor of his room, having suffered a serious fall and a left hip fracture. Orlowski says that the nursing home staff did not provide her husband with proper bed rails and that they did not take into account his mental and physical health, as he had just had surgery and as he had been diagnosed with dementia. In addition, Orlowski says that the nursing home staff was negligent in monitoring her husband appropriately.

This NC nursing home lawsuit follows just weeks after nurse Angela Almore was charged with murder after allegedly giving multiple adult care residents dangerous doses of morphine. This, along with other incidents of abuse and neglect have Britthaven on the Division of Health Service Regulation’s watch list along with three other substandard nursing homes. Just last year, the nursing home company was fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for another fall incident in which a patient was dropped during a bed transfer and broke both of her legs.

90-Year-Old Woman Struck By School Bus

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35569 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 90-year-old woman suffered personal injuries and was listed in critical condition after being struck by a school bus on the morning of July 21, according to police.

Police said the unidentified victim was struck at approximately 9:15 a.m. at the intersection of Parsons Boulevard and 84th Road in Briarwood, New York.

Paramedics responded to the scene and provided rush transport for the woman to New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, where she remains in critical condition, according to police.

No children were on the school bus at the time of the accident and the woman was the lone person injured.

Police Officer Charged With Hitting Cyclist With Patrol Vehicle And Driving Off

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35570 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A police officer in New York, New York has been charged with striking a bicyclist with his police car, causing personal injuries, and then driving away.

According to the Brooklyn district attorney’s office, Officer Louis Ramos was charged on July 20 with assault, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident.

A criminal complaint said that on June 14, Ramos struck the cyclist, got out of the car, pulled the cyclist to the curb, handed him a tissue, and left the scene without reporting the accident or calling for an ambulance.

Several surveillance cameras captured the accident on film.

Ramos has pleaded not guilty and been suspended without pay.

The cyclist received treatment for cuts, bruises, and a fractured wrist.

One Dead, At Least Five Injured When Minivan Hit By Tractor-Trailer In Duplin County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35571 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

One person died and at least five of his family members suffered personal injuries on July 21 when their minivan was struck by a tractor-trailer in Duplin County, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The family, residents of Virginia, was on their way back from a trip to Carolina Beach at the time of the accident.

Highway Patrol Sgt. Will Thurston said that the van was traveling along West Trade Road in Calypso and was attempting to cross U.S. Highway 117 when an 18-wheeler transporting hogs collided with the vehicle.

Four adults and three children were aboard the minivan. One male adult was pronounced dead and a female received air transport to WakeMed in critical condition. Four others received transport to area hospitals via ambulance. According to a volunteer firefighter who responded to the scene, three generations of family members were aboard the van.

Thurston said that the intersection the wreck occurred at has a flashing light and has seen numerous accidents. He said that rumble strips and a stop sign have been added by the N.C. Department of Transportation in an attempt to improve safety.

Lumberton Man Fatally Struck On I-95

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35572 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police say a man from Lumberton suffered fatal personal injuries on July 18 when he was struck by a southbound vehicle on Interstate 95.

According to Lumberton police Lt. Danny Strickland, 23-year-old Luis Mauricio Crisostomo died at the scene after stepping in front of the vehicle.

Strickland said that the driver, 35-year-old Nashville resident Michael Devandre Grice, was traveling south in a 2006 Chevrolet when Crisostomo stepped into his vehicle’s path near Exit 19. He was unable to see Crisostomo until it was too late.

USA Today: Dangerous Nurses Can Keep Practicing In Other States

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)16346 — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Is it possible that the nurse that is treating you or a loved one has a record of negligence, drug use, stealing, or medical malpractice? According to a report in USA Today this week, it certainly is. While doctors are well-tracked as they move across the country or practice in different states, nurse licensing differences between states sometimes makes it difficult to track dangerous nursing – and easy for nurses with poor track records to find new jobs across state lines.

Take the case of North Carolina nurse Craig Peske. This man was recently charged with six counts of drug possession in relation to his nursing job – after stealing drugs while on the job in a different state had already gotten him fired. In another case, North Carolina nurse Stephen Woodfin was barred from practicing in this state because of substance abuse, but moved to Texas to continue being a nurse anesthetist.

While the Nurse Licensure Compact makes it easier for nursing to move across state lines and for hospitals with nurse shortages to hire new prospects, the same Compact makes it somewhat easier for trouble nurses to leave one state and get hired in a new one. Half of all states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact, though not all list nurse disciplinary actions online.

Many blame the state-based system of licensing nurses – citing the many times nurses who are disciplined or who have been found negligent often do not suffer consequences in states they are visiting or often are not found out when they move to a different state to work.

Pickup Driver Charged In Fayetteville Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35401 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On July 19, police reported that the driver of a pickup truck that struck a car on July 16 at the intersection of Whitfield and Robeson streets in Fayetteville, resulting in personal injuries, was considered to be at fault for the accident.

According to Fayetteville police spokesman Dan Grubb, 23-year-old Valerie Kelly Rodriguez was cited for driving without a license and making an unsafe movement in connection to the accident, which took place at around 8 p.m.

Grubb said that Rodriguez was attempting to make a left turn onto Whitfield from Robeson and turned into the path of a 1994 Honda driven by 19-year-old Brienna Leigh Salzman. The impact caused the truck to roll onto its side.

Police say the accident caused the intersection to be closed for nearly an hour.

Maxton Man On Horse And Buggy Killed In Collision

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35402 — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Maxton suffered fatal personal injuries on the night of July 16 after a car struck the horse-drawn buggy he was operating on Red Hill Road from behind, reported the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The accident report said that 56-year-old Zelbert Locklear was westbound in a horse-drawn buggy without lights or reflectors. He was struck from behind by a westbound 2002 GMC truck driven by Pembroke resident Roger Lee Hunt.

The impact freed the horse, which ran into the side of an eastbound 1997 Nissan driven by 27-year-old Desiree Chavis, the report said.

Locklear died in the accident, but Hunt and Chavis were unharmed. It is unknown if the horse was injured or killed, according to a spokeswoman.

Man Killed In Collision With Tractor-Trailer Near Stokesdale

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35356 — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, one man suffered fatal personal injuries after being struck by a tractor-trailer.

Troopers say the unidentified man ran a stop sign at the intersection of Highway 68 and Sylvania Road, just north of Stokesdale. A tractor-trailer that was southbound on Highway 68 could not stop in time and collided with the car, pushing it through nearby fences, mailboxes, and trees.

The driver of the car was killed upon impact. Troopers could not identify him because he had no license and the vehicle registration and tags were not up to date.

Investigators say they are uncertain if alcohol was a factor, but they have determined that weather conditions were not a factor.

Car Crashes Into House In Wendell

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35357 — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman faces charges after her car collided with a house in Wendell on the evening of July 17. Personal injuries were involved in the accident.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported 19-year-old Jennifer Winfred Parker was leaving her house on Coharie Drive when she ran off the road and struck a house on the same road.

Parker received transport to Johnston Memorial Hospital in Clayton to undergo treatment for a minor neck injury.

Troopers charged Parker with failure to maintain lane control and DWI. They said she was impaired because of a prescription medication.

Troopers said that the house’s side porch sustained approximately $5,000 worth of damage. No one inside the home was reported to have been injured.

14 Killed, 12 Injured When Bus Falls Off Cliff

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35344 — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On July 17, 14 people were killed and 12 others suffered personal injuries, many of which were considered serious, at about 5 p.m. local time (noon Eastern Standard Time), when a bus fell off a cliff about 87 miles north of the Albanian capital of Tirana, according to authorities.

According to police official Hysni Burgaj, the accident was caused by a sudden downpour. Authorities are still uncertain of the total number of passengers aboard the bus.

Police say after traveling over the edge of the cliff, the bus plummeted a distance of 30-40 yards. The injured received transport to hospitals in Tirana and Shkodra, Albania.

The country’s president, Bamir Topi, and prime minister, Sali Berisha, visited the injured at the hospital in Tirana, promising urgent assistance. The government proclaimed the following day a national day of mourning.

Chapel Hill Man Killed In Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35345 — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Chapel Hill suffered fatal personal injuries on July 15 when his vehicle overturned near Silk Hope in Chatham County, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The NCHP said that 21-year-old Williams David Mote died shortly after 10 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving eastbound on Epps Clark Road.

The NCHP reported that Mote’s car ran off the road to the right and he overcorrected, causing the vehicle to cross over and run off the road to the left, hit a fence, and overturn. His vehicle was the only one involved in the accident.

College Student Killed By Drunken Driver In Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35346 — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On July 15, a college student suffered fatal personal injuries in an early-morning accident on Brookshire Boulevard in Charlotte.

According to police, 23-year-old Maurice McDowell was struck from behind by a drunken driver, pushing him into the path of a semi-truck. McDowell, a graduate of Harding High School and former student at North Carolina A&T University, was pronounced dead at the scene.

McDowell’s parents recognized his car on the TV report and his father rushed to the scene and arrived in time to speak to police. McDowell worked for his father’s janitorial service and had just left one job site and was on his way to another.

Police charged the other driver, Demaris Goodson, with DWI, felony death by motor vehicle, and involuntary manslaughter. He was injured in the accident, but is expected to recover.

McDowell’s mother, Rose Mary McDowell, said that her son had returned to live with his parents in Belmont after being the recent victim of a kidnapping and robbery. He had nearly graduated from A&T, but returned to Belmont and began attending Gaston College to work toward a degree in computer sciences.

Witness Says No Chase Involved In Fatal Crash Involving N.C. Trooper

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35347 — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to a witness, a North Carolina state trooper involved in a May crash in which two people suffered fatal personal injuries was not attempting to stop a speeder.

In the accident that took place on Business-85 in Guilford County on May 23, 55-year-old Sandra Allmond and 11-year-old Taylor Strange were killed and Elijah Allmond and Steven Strange were injured.

According to a preliminary report, Allmond turned in front of the cruiser of Trooper J.D. Goodnight. It said that he was in pursuit of another vehicle at the time and had slowed from 120 to 95 mph prior to the collision.

However, according to a witness that spoke with WFMY News 2 in Greensboro over the phone, no pursuit was involved. Johnson said that Goodnight pulled out from behind him, accelerated, and then turned his lights on.

North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Gordon said that they were not disputing Johnson’s account, but said that part of his account may have been an assumption or simply his perception of the events. Gordon said that Johnson’s statement would be included in the investigation and that the NCHP would look into his claim.

Gordon said that Johnson’s statements would be included in the final report, which is to be released upon completion of the investigation.

Three N.C. Residents Killed In S.C. Plane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35261 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A funeral home owner from North Carolina, his wife, and their 4-year-old granddaughter suffered fatal personal injuries when their small plane crashed as they were returning from a vacation along the South Carolina coast, according to a July 15 statement from officials and a friend of the pilot.

According to Horry County Coroner Robert Edge, 54-year-old Danny Carroll, 66-year-old Rachel Carroll, and 4-year-old Mallory Fields died on the night of July 14 when their single engine plane crashed into a mobile home park in North Myrtle Beach.

Danny Carroll was piloting the craft. All three were killed instantly. Edge said that an autopsy would be conducted.

According to George Patterson, an employee of Whitley’s Funeral Home in Kannapolis, where the Carrols lived, said that Danny Carroll was taking the plane for a test flight to see if he wanted to purchase it.

North Myrtle Beach spokeswoman Nicole Aiello said that the family was vacationing along the Grand Strand and was leaving from Grand Strand Regional Airport to return to their home, which is about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte. The crash occurred at about 9 p.m.

Two people on the ground received transport to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center with minor injuries and a policeman received hospital transport for smoke inhalation.

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the single-engine Piper PA-28 was registered to Concord resident Robert O’Neale III.

Wake Forest Woman Accused Of Running Over Man In Domestic Dispute

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35262 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Wake Forest was imprisoned on the morning of July 15 after police say she caused a man serious personal injuries by running over him with a vehicle during a domestic dispute.

Arrest warrants filed with the Wake County Magistrate’s Office on July 15 say that 43-year-old Deltrice Frederick has been charged with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury to Andrew Jerome Johnson.

According to Wake Forest police, Johnson sustained compound fractures and multiple lower bodily injuries. A nursing clinician said that he was listed in good condition at WakeMed Raleigh Campus.

The warrants also say that Frederick faces additional charges stemming from the incident after she drove her vehicle into a residence one block from her home. She has been charged with one count of reckless driving to endanger and one count of damage to property.

Frederick was placed in Wake County jail without bond.

Four Young Men Die In Wake County Rollover Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35113 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Early on Thursday morning, four young men were killed in a North Carolina car accident in Wake County near Garner.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the four men were writing in a Chevy Trailblazer when they crossed the centerline, ran off the road, hit several trees, and flipped into a ditch. The fatal NC car crash took place near the intersection of Rock Service Station Road and Panther Hill Lane.

None of the young men were wearing seatbelt and all four of the men were ejected from the vehicle during the car accident. None of the men were carrying identification, though police have been able to identify three of the men using fingerprint technology: 18-year-old Evan Bridges of Garner, 22-year-old Tony Smith of Raleigh, and Detrique Baker of Raleigh.

Investigators are still examining and clearing the scene, though it is not clear why the car crashed. Speed may have been a factor.

Four Young Men Die In Wake County Rollover Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35114 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Four Young Men Die In Wake County Rollover Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35119 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fatal Accident In Brunswick County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35187 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol says that a young man has died of the personal injuries he suffered in a single vehicle accident in Brunswick County on July 14. State troopers responded to the accident on U.S. 74 just west of Leland around 1 a.m.

According to the NCHP, 21-year-old Toby Ray O’Neal Jr. lost control of the Chevrolet pickup truck he was driving and went airborne while traveling at an estimated speed of 75 mph. He struck several large trees during the accident and died at the scene.

Troopers believe speed and alcohol to have been factors in the accident.

Durham Woman Struck Multiple Times In Hit-And-Run

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35188 — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to a July 14 statement from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, a woman from Durham was found lying on Club Boulevard with personal injuries from apparently being struck by multiple vehicles on the night of July 9.

Sgt. J.R. Creech said that none of the vehicles involved stopped after striking the woman, who was identified as 22-year-old Kara Clark.

Creech said that Clark received transport to a hospital in serious condition. Dispatchers received the call shortly after 10 p.m.

Durham police spokeswoman Kammie Michael said that Durham police officers were called to an abandoned vehicle that belonged to Clark on July 13. They discovered the vehicle shortly before noon where Troy Street hits a dead end.

The incident remains under investigation.

Raleigh Man Allegedly Hits Cyclist, Yells At Him For Wrecking Car, Then Drives Off

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35078 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police arrested a man from Raleigh on July 11 after he allegedly struck a bicyclist with his vehicle, resulting in personal injuries, yelled at the cyclist for wrecking his car, then drove off.

According to an arrest warrant filed in the Wake County Magistrate’s Office on July 12, 35-year-old Lesley Covington faces one could of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of felony hit-and-run causing serious injury.

Raleigh police say that Covington hit Pedro Lopez-Espinoza, who was riding his bike at the time. Covington stopped and exited his vehicle, saying to Lopez-Espinoza, “You wrecked my car.” He then got back into his car and drove off.

Covington posted $2,000 bail on July 12 and was released from Wake County jail.

One Dead, Two Injured In Chapel Hill Plane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35079 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the afternoon of July 12, a small private plane crashed at the Horace Williams Airport in Chapel hill, resulting in the death of the pilot and two others suffering personal injuries, according to authorities.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Burgen said that the single-engine Cirrus SR 20 plane crashed shortly before 3 p.m.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to report to the scene for an investigation. The airport remains closed to air traffic while the investigation is in progress.

One of the passengers aboard the plane was Kyle Henn, the brother of a man who died in a terrorist bombing in Uganda the day before the accident.

Henn’s sister, Brynne Henn, said that he received transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill to undergo treatment for cuts and bruises to his legs. He was listed in fair condition. She said that a friend of the company her brother works for offered him the private flight to the Triangle for him to be with his family after the death of his brother.

According to what Henn told his family, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to extract the pilot, Tom “Pitsy” Pitts, from the plane after the accident. The plane was registered to Pitts, a native of Wilmington, Delaware.

According to a spokeswoman from UNC Hospitals, Kyle Henn and Jim Donahue were receiving treatment at the hospital for the injuries they suffered in the accident. Delaware’s The News Journal identified Donahue as the co-pilot of the plane. He was listed in critical condition as of July 13 with injuries to his legs.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill owns Horace Williams Airport. It is used by private pilots and North Carolina’s Area Health Education Centers Program, which aims to improve access to primary health care services across the state.

The university plans to permanently close the airport so that it can become part of the planned Carolina North project.

Contractor Killed During Shooting Accident At Fort Bragg

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35112 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

An Army contractor was killed during a training exercise at Fort Bragg in North Carolina this week. Two others were also injured in the accident.

According to CNN, a retired Army Sargent and Echota Technologies Corporation employee 57-year-old Edward Jenkins was shot during a small arms drill on the military base. Another Echota employee, 27-year-old Daniel Aliff was injured in the accident and has been released from the hospital, while a third man, an enlisted soldier, 25-year-old Zachary Tams, was grazed by a bullet. Tams was treated at Womack Army Medical Center while Ailff was treated at UNC Hospital at Chapel Hill. Both are expected to recover.

Authorities say that the group was attending Special Forces Tactical Combat Skills Training, training that they admit is dangerous but that they take many precautions for to keep safe. The training involves life fire from automatic weapons.

Wendell Teen Pleads Guilty In Fatal Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35039 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A teenager from Wendell agreed on the morning of July 12 to plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter in connection to an automobile accident in December in which his classmate and friend suffered fatal personal injuries.

Austin Wade Marx was charged with involuntary manslaughter after a December 7 crash in which 16-year-old Gavin Boyd Westover was killed.

At the time of the accident, Marx and Westover, both of whom were students at East Wake High School in Wendell, were on their lunch break, off campus.

According to North Carolina state troopers, Max was well in excess of the speed limit at the time of the accident. They say he was driving as fast as 85 to 90 mph in a 1996 Chevrolet Camaro on Puryear Road near the intersection with Marks Creek. The vehicle ran off the road and overturned.

Witnesses said they saw the Camaro racing with a blue Ford Mustang prior to the accident.

Judge Ronald Stephens said that there would be short- and long-term consequences to Marx’s actions. The short-term was that his minimum 16-month prison sentence would be suspended and he would be placed on intensive supervised probation.

However, on Christmas Eve this year, when the Westovers will likely be having a difficult holiday, Marx is to report to Wake County Jail.

Stephens also ordered Marx to pay court costs, surrender his driver’s license for three years, and speak to high school groups about the consequences of his poor judgment.

Cary Man Dies In Beltline Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)35040 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the morning of July 10, a man from Cary suffered fatal personal injuries after the car he was driving ran off the Beltline and collided with a guardrail in Raleigh, according to a police report released on July 12.

The accident report said that 39-year-old Eugene Villanueva Gonzalves died at the scene of the accident.

Investigators have not released a cause for the accident, but have ruled out drugs, alcohol, and speed as factors.

The single-vehicle accident took place shortly before 1 a.m. on Interstate 440 near Western Boulevard. Officer R.T. Pereira reported that Gonzalves was northbound in a 1999 Lexus when he veered left, crossed the center-line and collided head-on with the guardrail.

Fatal Accident In Brunswick County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34944 — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On July 10, a 21-year-old woman suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident in Brunswick County in which her vehicle overturned multiple times.

According to North Carolina state troopers, Renishia Nicole Jenrette died in the accident, which took place at about 2 p.m. on July 10 along Mt. Pisgah Road and Empire Road in Supply.

Jenrette was the lone occupant of the vehicle. Troopers say she was ejected during the accident.

Troopers say they believe speed to have been a factor in the crash.

Dunn Man Killed In Crash Near Benson

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34945 — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Early on the morning of July 10, a man from Dunn suffered fatal personal injuries when the car he was driving ran off Woods Crossroad Road near Benson, reported the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The NCHP said that 34-year-old Gregory Honeycutt was driving along Woods Crossroad Road early on the morning of the accident when his car slid off the road. Troopers were summoned to the scene shortly before 5 a.m.

According to the Highway Patrol, Honeycutt was traveling at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit of 55 mph and was not wearing his seat belt. The car overturned during the accident, ejecting him.

Singer/Songwriter Vanessa Carlton Accuses Wrong Dog In Bite Suit

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34931 — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton, best known for a pair of singles, “A Thousand Miles” and “No Ordinary Day,” she released in 2002, recently lost a personal injury case over a dog bite. In May, the 29-year-old singer claimed she was out running in Pennsylvania when she was bitten by a 9-month-old pit bull named Bella. However, the court determined that Bella was not the dog that bit her.

The claim made by Carlton, who appeared for six hours of the trial, failed to match the evidence. According to a report from TMZ.com, the dog’s owners utilized several forensic experts, including dog behavior specialists and canine dentists, in order to prove that Bella was not the dog responsible.

A mold of Bella’s teeth failed to match up with the bite marks on Carlton’s body. Had the evidence met Carlton’s claim, the dog would have been euthanized. However, the judge ruled in the dog’s favor and returned it to the owners.

Tractor-Trailer Driver Charged In Hit-And-Run That Killed Cary Motorcyclist

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34932 — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On July 8, a tractor-trailer driver was charged with second-degree murder after a hit-and-run accident on Interstate 85, north of Henderson, in which a motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries.

According to North Carolina state troopers, 38-year-old Creedmoor resident Michael Gray Rigsbee was traveling south near mile marker 220 at about 7 p.m. when his truck struck a motorcycle driven by 39-year-old Cary resident Sean Christopher Newman. Troopers say he did not stop after the collision.

The collision caused Newman to lose control of the motorcycle, which struck the median. He was ejected from the bike and was killed instantly, according to authorities.

Troopers pulled Rigsbee in Granville County, approximately 20 miles south of the scene of the accident.

Rigsbee faces charges of second-degree murder, felony hit-and-run, failure to render aid, and careless and reckless driving. He was imprisoned in Vance County jail under a $112,000 bond on the morning of July 9.

Goldsboro Tractor-Trailer Driver Pinned In Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34933 — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the morning of July 9, a tractor-trailer driver suffered personal injuries and was pinned in his truck after it jackknifed in the median of Interstate 95.

Trooper J.D. Brewington said that the accident occurred shortly before 5 a.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 approximately a mile south of Cedar Creek Road.

Witnesses say the truck was not speeding, but suddenly veered to the left side of the road and into the wooded median, according to Brewington. The truck struck multiple trees, causing it to jackknife and pinning the driver, 54-year-old Goldsboro resident James Henry Persons.

Vander Fire Department Assistant Chief Richard Bradshaw said members of the Vander, Eastover, and Cotton fire departments worked for nearly 25 minutes to free Persons. He received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with injuries not considered to be life-threatening and is listed in stable condition.

Brewington said that Persons was issued a citation for a safe movement violation.

Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Train In Hillsborough

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34934 — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the afternoon of July 10, a pedestrian suffered fatal personal injuries from being struck by an Amtrak train near Hillsborough.

According to Lt. Robert Patton of Orange County Emergency Services, the pedestrian was killed on a stretch of track that travels under Interstate 85 behind a Wal-Mart. The 911 concerning the accident was received around 12:45 p.m.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari was en route from Raleigh to Charlotte and was delayed for an hour and 16 minutes. None of the 64 passengers or members of the crew were injured.

The accident remains under the investigation of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Accident Claims Two Lives

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34886 — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Accident Claims Two Lives

An accident on Monday morning in Robeson claimed the life of a man and a woman.

Marshall C. Heckel 21, of Lumberton along with his girlfriend, Brittany Graybill, 20, of Clayton were traveling on McQueen Road when he drove into the path of a pickup. Graybill was transported to Cape Fear Valley Hospital, where she later died.

Fred N. Gibbs, 40, of Lumberton, was driving the pickup. His seatbelt broke and caused him to be thrown from the vehicle. Gibbs died at the scene of the accident.

Heckel was charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle and failure to yield.

Accident Near Garner Kills Four

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34888 — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Accident Near Garner Kills Four

An accident near Garner on Thursday, July 1, claimed the lives of four men. The accident occurred on Rock Service Station Road.

Three of the deceased had to be identified by their fingerprints.

The names of Tony Smith, Jr., 22, and Evan Bridges, 18, were released.

The Troopers needed assistance in identifying the fourth man. This man had numerous tattoos on his body. "Detrique" was across his chest, a basketball with "11-26-91" was in the center and the name "Marcia" was on his right arm.

There was no identification on the men.

The vehicle involved in the accident was a 2003 silver Chevrolet Trailblazer. Apparently, the trailblazer had rounded a curve at a high rate of speed, ran off the road to the right, swerved to the left, hit a ditch and turned over into some trees.

None of the men were wearing seatbelts.

A sticker from Bobby Murray Chevrolet was on the front of the vehicle.

Survivor From Durham Calls Philadelphia Boat Accident "Surreal"

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34831 — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Durham woman who survived the collision between a barge and a duck boat in the Delaware River in Philadelphia, in which dozens of tourists were dumped into the water, resulting in several personal injuries and two Hungarian language students going missing, referred to the experience as “harrowing” and “surreal” in a July 8 interview with The Associated Press.

As of July 8, officials said that hope was beginning to fade for the two missing persons, said to be a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man. A search continued, but due to low visibility in the 50-foot-deep water, divers were not sent in.

The Durham woman, 67-year-old Sandy Cohen, said that the incident began as a simple inconvenience, as smoke began to emerge from the boat’s engine when it entered the water. She said the tour guide said a tug boat was on the way to return the passengers to the shore.

Cohen said that she was on the phone with her husband, filling him in on what happened, when others began screaming and someone shouted that a barge was rapidly approaching. She grabbed a nearby life jacket as the boat was hit.

Upon surfacing, Cohen said she saw one of the Hungarian teens aboard the boat was hanging onto the same life jacket she was. She said she helped the girl remain calm and told her not to let go. Rescue came five to 10 minutes later.

The Norcross, Georgia-based tour company, Ride the Ducks, said that it was suspending operations across the U.S. on July 8, one day after suspending its Philadelphia tours as crews searched for the two missing persons. The company also runs tours in San Francisco, Atlanta, Newport, Kentucky, and Branson, Missouri.

Police say the 37 people aboard the six-wheeled duck boat were sent overboard when the tugboat-pushed barge struck the vessel, which had been adrift for a few minutes. Most were retrieved from the river by other vessels. The boat had driven into the river on July 7 and suffered mechanical problems and a small fire. The collision occurred about 10 minutes later.

Ten people received transport to a hospital. Two of them declined treatment and eight others were released after being treated, according to Hahnemann University Hospital spokeswoman Coleen Cannon.

Teen Critically Injured In Newport Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34832 — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

An 18-year-old was listed in critical condition at Pitt County Memorial Hospital on the night of July 7 after suffering personal injuries in an accident in which a car he was riding in ran off the road in Newport.

Daniel Bailey was out with friends at about 4 a.m. on July 3 when the accident took place, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol. He is a recent graduate of Havelock High School, where he was considered a star player on the football team.

Bailey received air transport to the hospital after the accident. His family said that he is paralyzed from the waist down.

The NCHP charged the driver, Corey Johnson, with reckless driving. His record contains prior traffic offenses including speeding, failure to wear a seat belt, and failure to obey a traffic officer.

One Dead In Fiery Cumberland County Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34692 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that one person suffered fatal personal injuries after a small passenger vehicle collided with a bridge abutment and caught fire on Interstate 95 in Cumberland County on the morning of July 6.

After the collision, the vehicle came to rest under the Sunnyside School Road bridge, which is located between exits 52 and 49 on I-95. The engine was lying a distance of about 20 feet away from the vehicle. Both the engine and the vehicle were burnt beyond recognition.

Further information about the accident was not immediately released.

Lumberton Man Charged In Crash That Killed Two

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34693 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Lumberton has been charged with a pair of misdemeanors in connection to an accident on the morning of July 5 in which two people suffered fatal personal injuries.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that 21-year-old Marshall Clifford Heckled ran a stop sign at a four-way intersection where McQueen Road and Rennert Road meet in Robeson County.

Heckel drove past the sign at an estimated speed of 35 mph and was struck by a northbound pickup truck traveling at an estimated rate of speed of 50 mph. Heckel, driving a 1998 Ford Mustang, was the only one facing a stop sign at the intersection.

The truck’s driver, Lumberton resident Fred Nelson Gibbs, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred shortly before 8 a.m. A passenger in Heckel’s Mustang, 20-year-old Clayton resident Brittany Darylin Graybill, whose Facebook profile lists her as Heckel’s girlfriend, received transport to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

The NCHP’s investigation did not reveal any indication of Gibbs attempting to brake before entering the intersection, according to an accident report. All three people involved were wearing seat belts.

Ga. Crash Leaves Two N.C. Teens Dead

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34751 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two teenagers from Lenoir County suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident on Interstate 95 on July 6 in which their family car overturned, authorities said.

At around 4:30 p.m., the Humphrey family, of Deep Run, N.C., was traveling south on I-95 and was approximately 14 miles from the Florida border when the driver’s side rear tire blew out, resulting in the driver, 51-year-old Claude Humphrey, losing control of the vehicle. The vehicle ran off the road, overturned in a ditch, and collided with a tree.

Authorities say 15-year-old Katlyn Humphrey and 18-year-old Taylor Humphrey were killed in the crash. They were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle.

Claude Humphrey and 12-year-old Carly Humphrey received transport to Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida, while 48-year-old Beverly Humphrey was taken to Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center in Kingsland, Ga. All three were released after undergoing treatment.

Deceased Driver In Fiery I-95 Crash Identified

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34752 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol identified the man who suffered fatal personal injuries in a fiery crash on Interstate 95 at the Sunnyside School Road overpass on July 6 as an employee of the New York state prison system.

The man driving the four-door Chevrolet car that collided with a bridge support around 9:30 a.m. was identified as 32-year-old Elmont, New York resident Steve Moline, according to investigating Trooper C.T. Walker. He was southbound when the vehicle ran off the road to the left , came back across the road, crossed both southbound lanes, and went up the concrete embankment under the bridge before hitting a concrete support pillar.

The impact caused the engine block to be knocked out of the vehicle and broke the right front axle off. The vehicle burst into flames upon impact.

Walker said that several drivers who witnessed the accident stopped and were able to extract Moline from the vehicle, which was still burning upon the arrival of the Vander Fire Department. However, Moline died on impact.

Walker said that speed was a factor, as Moline was traveling at an estimated rate of nearly 100 mph.

Alcohol Involved In Crash That Injured Randolph Deputy

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34623 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that an off-duty Randolph County deputy sustained serious personal injuries in a Fourth of July weekend accident in which alcohol was a factor.

According to a report in the Asheboro Courier-Tribune, 27-year-old deputy Luccas Barber was driving along Bethany Church Road near Randleman on the night of July 3 when he lost control of the sport utility vehicle he was driving and crashed.

Barber received air transport to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

Barber was charged with driving while impaired and exceeding a safe speed.

11-Year-Old Hospitalized After Huntersville Golf Cart Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34624 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

An 11-year-old boy remained in the hospital on July 5 after a Huntersville golf cart accident in which he suffered personal injuries.

According to Huntersville police, three boys, ages 11, 8, and 6, drove a golf cart underneath a parked semi-trailer around 8 p.m. on July 3 at a maintenance facility owned by NorthStone Country Club, which is on Ramah Church Road.

Police say the 8- and 11-year-olds were injured and received transport to Carolinas Medical Center. The 8-year-old has since been released, but the 11-year-old remained in the hospital with injuries to the head. The 6-year-old was uninjured.

The boys were riding in a maintenance golf cart with a flatbed on the back. They are related to a maintenance worker.

Police have not said who the driver of the cart when the crash occurred was or if any charges will be filed in connection to the accident.

Under North Carolina law, golf carts are prohibited on state roads, but towns and counties are allowed to decide where and how the carts may be used.

Fatal Crash Claims Huntersville Police Officer

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34625 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A Huntersville police officer suffered fatal personal injuries in a Catawba County motorcycle accident early on the morning of July 5.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that 43-year-old Mooresville resident Kimberly Sue Nesbitt died in a crash on Lowrance Road about two miles south of the city of Catawba around 6 a.m. She was off-duty at the time.

According to troopers, Nesbitt’s right wheel ran off the road and she overcorrected. She crossed over both lanes, ran into a ditch, and collided with a tree. Speed is not believed to have been a factor in the accident.

Troopers said that Nesbitt was not wearing her seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Nesbitt was the lone occupant of her vehicle, which was the only vehicle involved.

Nesbitt had been an employee of the Huntersville Police Department since 2007.

Two Crashes Injure Seven Near Clayton Exit On I-40

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34626 — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Traffic was temporarily slowed in both directions on Interstate 40 near Exit 312 to Clayton due to two accidents that occurred within 80 minutes of each other at around noon on July 5. A total of seven people suffered personal injuries in the two crashes combined.

Johnston County Emergency Care Supervisor Jason Thompson said that the first accident took place in the eastbound lane and involved a vehicle running off the road around 11:45 a.m. He said one passenger received transport to WakeMed’s trauma center in Raleigh, but his condition was not immediately made available.

Thompson said the second accident took place shortly before 12:30 p.m. in the westbound lane and involved three vehicles colliding. He said that six people sustained injuries in that crash, none of which were considered to be in serious condition. He said all six received transport to WakeMed.

Liberty Motorcyclist Killed In Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34597 — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Liberty suffered fatal personal injuries on the afternoon of July 1 after he lost control of his motorcycle and was run over by a truck. The accident took place on Cedar Falls Road near Wicker Lovell Road in Randolph County.

The motorcyclist was identified by Trooper Heather Piantino as 23-year-old Bryan Edward Insley. She said that Insley was eastbound on Cedar Falls when he lost control of the bike while rounding a curve, causing the bike to roll. A westbound truck attempted to swerve to avoid the crash, but ran over Insley.

The truck’s driver was uninjured in the accident. Piantino said Insley was pronounced dead at the scene.

Belmont Police Say Backup At Weigh Station Was Factor In Crash That Injured 10

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34598 — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Belmont say that a backup of trucks attempting to get into a weigh station was a factor in a July 1 crash on Interstate 85 in which 10 people were sent to the hospital for the personal injuries they suffered.

The weigh station in question is just north of the Catawba River Bridge near the Gaston-Mecklenburg County line.

Belmont Police Chief David James said that the backup stretched from the weigh station back across the river bridge and into Belmont city limits.

A tour bus transporting a Christian singing group known as the Bowling Family began heading down the hill towards the bridge and suddenly the driver was confronted with trucks stacked up in his lane. James said the driver did not realize it was such slow-moving traffic until it was too late. He attempted to swerve left, but rear-ended one of the trucks.

The weigh station is operated by the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

According to a spokesperson, the station was constructed in 1979 and is now too small to handle the volume of trucks that have to be checked. The spokesperson also said that a $300,000 camera system was installed for the purpose of warning those inside when the trucks get backed up to the highway, but noted that the trucks quickly become stacked up in peak hours.

According to Chief James, no other accidents had been caused by the trucks backing up out into the highway. He was amazed that no one had died in the accident.

The NCHP said that it is already seeking out new locations to build a new weigh station and currently has two potential locations where there would be more room and longer ramps to help prevent further accidents.

Collision Between Tour Bus And 18-Wheeler Near Belmont Injures 10

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34570 — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Ten people suffered personal injuries on a crash on Interstate 85 near Gaston and Mecklenburg counties on July 1 when a tour bus rear-ended an 18-wheeler while heading to a concert.

According to Gaston County EMS, two people sustained serious injuries in the accident and received air transport to Carolina Medical Center Main Hospital in Charlotte. The other eight were taken to a nearby hospital.

The tour bus was transporting a Christian music group known as The Bowling Family made up of Mike and Kelly Bowling and Terah Crabb Penhollow, in addition to the group’s children.

According to Beckie Simmons, the booking agent for the group, Mike Bowling who is the group’s lead singer, was one of the two people to sustain serious injuries and be airlifted to CMC Main.

Belmont police say the tour bus rear-ended a Smithfield Food tractor-trailer, pushing it into a box truck, shortly before rush hour.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

N.C. Couple Killed In Wyoming Motorcycle Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34571 — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

A couple from North Carolina suffered fatal personal injuries after a collision between their motorcycle and a car in northeastern Wyoming.

According to the Wyoming State Patrol, 61-year-old Thomas Church and 52-year-old Regina Church of Wilmington were southbound on U.S. 85 north of Lusk, Wyoming on June 30 when a northbound vehicle crossed the center line.

Authorities say it is unclear why the vehicle driven by 77-year-old Hawthorne, California resident Ingemann Aasness went into the other lane. They said when he attempted to cross back into the proper lane, his car struck the Churches’ motorcycle head-on. They were both pronounced dead at the scene.

Aasness received hospital transport and was released after undergoing treatment. His passenger, 73-year-old Cordelle Aasness, received air transport to the Wyoming Medical Center.

Garner Crash Claims Four

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34485 — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Four men who suffered fatal personal injuries after being ejected from a sport utility vehicle that wrecked on Rock Service Station Road near Garner on July 1 have been identified by North Carolina State Troopers as 18-year-old Raleigh resident Detrique Baker, 18-year-old Garner resident Evan J. Bridges, 38-year-old Willow Springs resident Larry D. Evans, and 22-year-old Raleigh resident Tony C. Smith Jr.

According to Sgt. Jeff Gordon, none of the men had identification with them, so troopers had to use fingerprints and distinguishing characteristics to identify them.

The men were thrown from a 2003 silver Chevrolet Trailblazer that was speeding as it rounded a curve, ran off the road to the right, swerved left, went into a ditch, and overturned in a wooded area, according to Sgt. Bo Johnson. Three men were sent a distance of about 20 feet and the fourth was sent about 50 feet.

There were no witnesses. A passing driver reported the accident shortly before 4 a.m.

Troopers say they have not determined which of the victims was driving at the time or the SUV’s speed at the time of the accident. None of the men were wearing seat belts.

Evans has been convicted three times for driving while impaired and twice for driving on a revoked license, according to records from the state Department of Corrections. He was serving probation for a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon from May. His criminal record dates back to 1989 and also includes convictions for larceny.

DOC records also show that Bridges was listed as an absconder from probation stemming from a larceny conviction in March and Smith had convictions for felony breaking and entering in 2007 and 2008.

E. Coli Concerns In Johnston County Water Lead To Restaurants Closing

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34486 — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

The efforts to prevent personal injuries through an order to boil water in Johnston County has resulted in many restaurants in Smithfield being forced to close until public health officials are able to determine if water there is safe for consumption.

On June 30, the Johnston County Health Department issued a mandatory advisory for all of the county’s residents to boil water after the presence of fecal coliform bacteria (E. coli) was detected in water samples.

Residents of Johnston County have been asked to boil all water used for human consumption, such as drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, and washing hands. Boiling water for at least one minute should kill any bacteria.

Health concerns have caused restaurants and some other businesses to close until further notice.

Town officials expected test results to return on the afternoon of July 1 in order to determine if the order could be lifted.

One Killed, Four Injured In High Point Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34430 — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in High Point are investigating a crash in which one person died and four others, including two children suffered personal injuries. The accident took place on Westchester Drive near Burton Avenue at about 12:30 p.m. on June 30.

According to Lt. Steve Myers, a car was exiting the parking lot of a shopping center and turned onto Westchester when it collided with a minivan, which overturned. Investigators say the van’s driver, Thomasville resident Talia Oxendine, was ejected. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Three others from the van, including 28-year-old Tyrell Scott, 9-year-old Tyrell Scott, and 11-year-old Rhianna Swinney, were taken to the hospital by emergency workers.

The driver of the car, 77-year-old Dainese Hazzard, received hospital transport. Her husband, 79-year-old Albert Hazzard, was a passenger in her vehicle but was uninjured.

Myers said that all four of the injured were taken to High Point Regional Hospital.

The crash remains under investigation.

Ashe County Crash Kills One, Injures One

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34431 — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

One person was killed and another suffered personal injuries in a traffic accident on the morning of June 30 on Deep Ford Road in Lansing.

Trooper E.W. McConnell of the North Carolina Highway Patrol said that 16-year-old Crumpler resident Shani Marie Dishman was pronounced dead and 19-year-old Jefferson resident Cody James Collins received transport to Forsyth County Baptist Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition as of that afternoon.

According to McConnell, the 1994 Toyota Corolla, which was driven by Collins, ran off the road shortly after 6 a.m. Collins overcorrected and the vehicle came back onto the road before colliding with a utility pole on the driver’s side. The vehicle was totaled.

Robert Poe of Blue Ridge Medical Transport said that Blue Ridge Medical, Ashe County Rescue, and Lansing Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. One of the victims was pinned and took nearly an hour to extricate before being transported to a trauma center via Med Center Air out of Charlotte. The second victim was taken to Ashe Memorial Hospital.

McConnell said that the crash remains under investigation and charges are pending. Vehicle speed is a possible factor in the crash.

Wrong-Way Driving Crash Injures Two In Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34351 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Charlotte said that two people suffered serious personal injuries on the morning of June 28 when a vehicle drove the wrong way down a street in north Charlotte.

According to reports, a black car was traveling in the wrong direction down W.T. Harris Boulevard at about 4:15 a.m. near Grier Road and collided with a sport utility vehicle.

According to police, the driver of the black car was pinned inside the vehicle and required extrication by Charlotte firefighters.

Two people sustained serious injuries in the accident and received hospital transport. The crash remains under investigation.

Grand Jury To Hear Evidence In Fatal Dunn Wal-Mart Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34352 — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

On June 29, Harnett County District Attorney Susan Doyle said that she plans on presenting evidence regarding a sport utility crash outside Wal-Mart in Dunn in which a teenage girl died and the driver suffered personal injuries before a grand jury.

In the wreck, which took place on June 4, 16-year-old Ashley Moore, a student at Triton High School in Erwin, was killed and the driver, 18-year-old Dillon Tart, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Witnesses said that they saw the two arguing inside the vehicle at the Murphy gas station located inside the same parking lot before seeing the SUB accelerate, clip two vehicles, and collide with the front of the store.

Dunn police say that video from nearby surveillance cameras confirmed witness statements that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed.

Investigators have been attempting to reconstruct the accident in order to determine the vehicle’s speed. They have also been examining the SUV for any mechanical problems and trying to determine if there was a medical problem that led to the accident.

Doyle said she plans upon filing charges against Tart, but has not decided which charges to pursue and she wishes to put the case before a grand jury to determine how to proceed.

The Harnett County grand jury is to meet on July 19.

Lexington Crash Involving Tractor-Trailer And Two Police Officers

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34239 — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Interstate 85 South has been closed around mile marker 90 in Lexington due to a crash in which personal injuries were involved.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said that two officers from the Lexington Police Department were struck by a tractor-trailer. One officer received transport to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. The other received transport to a nearby hospital. Their conditions were not immediately made available.

The collision took place shortly after 12:30 p.m.

Pedestrian Fatally Struck Near Goldsboro

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34241 — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A pedestrian suffered fatal personal injuries on the morning of June 27 after he was struck by a vehicle on Interstate 795 south of Goldsboro.

According to a supervisor with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, 39-year-old Goldsboro resident Frederick Lamonte Tarpley was traveling in a 2004 Nissan when his vehicle hit 19-year-old Goldsboro resident Victor Seja-Fuentes.

Sgt. M. Kirby said that troopers were led to believe by early evidence that Fuentes was walking along the shoulder of the road when he was struck by Tarpley’s vehicle shortly before 4:30 a.m.

According to Kirby, Tarpley was the lone occupant of the vehicle and was traveling at an estimated speed of 70 miles per hour, which was the speed limit for the area.

N.C. 8-Year-Old Killed In S.C. Boat Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34164 — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to authorities, an 8-year-old North Carolina boy suffered fatal personal injuries in a boating accident on a lake in South Carolina.

Multiple media outlets were told by investigators that Charlotte resident Tanner Blake Goshen was killed on Lake Wylie on June 26 after he came into contact with the propellers on his family’s boat.

According to Department of Natural Resources Lt. Robert McCullough, wildlife officers are waiting to interview the boy’s family to obtain further details.

The state of South Carolina has had a reported total of at least 18 fatal boating accidents so far in 2010, in comparison to 11 in all of 2009.

McCullough said that DNR has not yet determined a reason for the increase in fatalities.

Cullowhee Man Killed In Motorcycle Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34165 — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a man from Cullowhee suffered fatal personal injuries on June 25 when the motorcycle he was riding was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle on U.S. 23 near Waynesville.

According to Trooper J.B. Merrell, 63-year-old Timothy Dale Kelly was pronounced dead at the scene.

Merrell said that shortly after 11:30 a.m., Kelly was traveling west on a 2001 Indian motorcycle when an eastbound 1996 Subaru Forester crossed a raised concrete median and collided head-on with the motorcycle.

According to Merrell, the Subaru’s driver, 58-year-old Geri Patrick, received transport to Haywood Regional Hospital with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening. He said that the drivers were the lone occupants of each vehicle.

Merrell said that charges against Patrick would be determined after an investigation and that there was no sign that alcohol was a factor.

Tractor-Trailer Collides With Car In Charlotte

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34140 — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two people suffered personal injuries in an automobile accident involving a passenger vehicle and an 18-wheeler in north Charlotte on the morning of June 25.

The accident took place shortly before 10 a.m. on Statesville road close to the entrance ramp for Interstate 85.

The driver of the car was pinned inside and had to be extricated by firefighters.

Two people involved in the accident required transport to Carolinas Medical Center.

According to Medic, one patient’s injuries were considered to be potentially life-threatening, but the other’s were not believed to be life-threatening.

Child Injured In Three-Vehicle Accident In Greensboro

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34141 — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Greensboro spent some time in the heat on June 24 to clear an accident which caused personal injuries and resulted in traffic being backed up.

According to police, the accident took place shortly before 3 p.m. on Highway 29 South near the exit for Bessemer Avenue.

Police said that a Nissan Maxima was attempting to merge onto Highway 29 and a tractor-trailer was unable to stop in time and both vehicles collided with a van.

The Maxima was carrying three people, there was one person in the van, and there was one person in the tractor-trailer.

Police said one child required transport to the hospital. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Tractor-Trailer Overturns In Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34126 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A tractor-trailer carrying garbage overturned around 7:30 a.m. on June 25 on Hillsboro Street in Fayetteville, under the Rowan Street bridge, causing personal injuries.

Fayetteville police spokesman Dan Grubb said that the truck’s driver may have taken a curve too fast, causing the truck to overturn. The driver, 38-year-old Rose Hill resident Juan Antonio Olvera Guillen, received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center after the accident.

According to Calvin Bishop, a Fayetteville Fire Department battalion commander, diesel fuel that leaked from the truck had been contained.

Police Believe NCHP Trooper Was Driving Drunk In Buncombe County Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34127 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police believe that an off duty North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper was driving under the influence when he ran a red light and collided with a car, resulting in a Franklin man suffering serious personal injuries.

Early on the morning of June 25, Trooper Timothy Scott Stiwinter, of Hendersonville, resigned after the accident at the intersection of Airport Road and Fanning Bridge Road in Buncombe County, according to the NCHP.

Stiwinter was arrested by Asheville Police on charges of DUI and felony hit-and-run.

The driver of the other vehicle, Franklin resident Ronald Schott received transport to Mission Hospital after the accident and as of June 25 was listed in serious condition.

Schott’s wife, Patricia Schott, said that he was traveling home from an out-of-town trip. She said that he does not remember the accident.

Stiwinter’s 2006 Nissan Titan was stopped by Asheville Police Officer Danny Britt shortly after the accident, which occurred shortly before midnight on June 24.

A search warrant filed by Asheville Police Officer A.M. Fowler in order to obtain a blood sample from Stiwinter said that he refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.

According to the search warrant Fowler filed, she detected the odor of alcohol on Stiwinter. According to court papers, she also said that he was unsteady on his feet.

Nurse Charged With North Carolina Nursing Home Murder

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15633 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A North Carolina woman has been charged with second degree murder for injecting a lethal amount of morphine into a nursing home patient.

According to the Charlotte News & Observer, 44-year-old registered nurse Angela Almore gave multiple elderly Alzheimer’s patients unprescribed doses of the painkiller morphine, perhaps in an effort to make the nursing home patients easier to care for. The murder took place at Britthaven in Chapel Hill, a nursing home that has been under investigation for various cases of nursing home abuse and neglect in the recent past. Almore is charged with killing 84-year-old Rachel Holliday, a resident of Britthaven who suffered from Alzheimer’s and who died in February 2010 of an apparent morphine overdose.

The nursing home murder was discovered after a number of Alzheimer’s patients were found to have morphine in their systems. At six patients were involved in the nursing home medication abuse. In addition to the murder charge, Almore is also facing six counts of felony patient abuse for giving patients morphine in an attempt to quiet them.

Almore appeared in court this week and her bond remains at $500,000.

Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall told reporters that the case is still under investigation by state authorities, but that all evidence suggests that Almore acted alone in the nursing home abuse and nursing home death.

Britthaven was investigated in 2002 after officials found that their staff was injuring nursing home patients because of a lack of training. In 1997, a nursing home patient was strangled to death in an accident involving physical restraints.

Wrong-Way Driver Arrested After Causing Accident Near Weaverville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34022 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Authorities have arrested a man from Georgia they say drove the wrong way on Interstate 26 near Weaverville, resulting in a tractor-trailer overturning and personal injuries being suffered.

Police arrested 31-year-old Winterville, Georgia resident Jon Frederick Cooper on charges of reckless driving, DWI, and felony hit-and-run. The citation filed at the Buncombe County Magistrate’s Office says that his blood-alcohol measured 0.23 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

The accident occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. on eastbound I-26 near the exit for Flat Creek. Cooper was westbound in the eastbound lanes in a Mitsubishi Montero sport utility vehicle, according to Trooper R.E. Baker of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. The tractor-trailer’s driver saw the oncoming vehicle and attempted to swerve to avoid it, but ran off the road and overturned, resulting in both eastbound lanes being blocked.

Cooper fled the scene on foot, but he was apprehended a short time later in a wooded area not far from the scene.

The tractor-trailer driver received transport to Mission Hospital. His name was not immediately made available.

Western N.C. Helicopter Crash Injures Pilot And Passenger

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)34023 — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A helicopter crashed in a rugged area in western North Carolina, causing the pilot and a passenger to suffer personal injuries.

According to Black Mountain Fire Department Deputy Chief Craig Bannerman, on June 21, firefighters responded to reports of the crash, which took place just over the McDowell and Buncombe County line.

Bannerman said that the pilot and passenger both suffered injuries in the crash, but both were able to walk away from the site of the crash. They declined ambulance transport to the hospital.

McDowell County emergency crews and the North Carolina Highway Patrol had taken over the scene by that evening.

The identities of the pilot and passenger were not immediately made available.

Charlotte Teen Dies In High Point Public Pool Drowning

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15632 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A North Carolina teen drowned in a public swimming pool this month, making High Point, NC, officials examine their swimming pool policies and regulations.

According to the Greensboro News & Record, 17-year-old Anthony Hayes was seen by a High Point lifeguard at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. The lifeguard dove for the boy, called the EMS, and tried to revive the young man with CPR along with the help of the other four lifeguards on duty at the time of the accidental drowning.

Authorities were puzzled as to why a young man who couldn’t swim was found 13 feet down in water, and family members speculated that Hayes had struck his head on the diving board and become unconscious in the water. However, a Triad Medical Examiner at Wake Forest Univ. Baptist Medical Center found no evidence of head trauma during an autopsy and found the drowning to be accidental. In addition, witnesses who were at the pool on the day of the Winston-Salem swimming accident say that Hayes did not use the diving board that day.

When emergency crews arrived at the scene of the NC pool accident, they rushed Hayes to High Point Regional Hospital then transferred him to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, where he was pronounced dead.

Allen Oliver, Parks and Rec Director in High Point, said that everyone did their jobs on the day of the drowning accident, though many other wonder whether High Park pools should test those using the pool for swimming skills before letting them in the deep end area of the pool.

One Killed, One Injured In Crash Near St. Pauls

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33968 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reports that a man from Orrum suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle accident on June 22 on Interstate 95.

According to the report Trooper W.A. Richardson filed, the accident took place in the northbound lanes of I-95 less than a mile south of St. Pauls shortly after 11 p.m.

The report said that the driver, 27-year-old Justin Craig Walters, received air transport to WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, where he was later pronounced dead.

According to the report, Walters was traveling in a Toyota passenger car when it ran off the road into the median. Walters overcorrected and the vehicle ran off the road to the right, hit an embankment, and collided with a concrete bridge support at the overpass of Morgan J Road.

A passenger in the vehicle, 37year-old Fairmont resident Ricky Gainey, received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for the personal injuries he suffered. His condition was not immediately made available.

The report said that both men were wearing their seat belts and the air bags on the vehicle deployed.

One Killed, Three Injured In Crash Near Sanford

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33969 — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported on June 23 that a 15-year-old boy suffered fatal personal injuries in a two-vehicle accident approximately six miles outside Sanford.

The NCHP said the victim, Sanford resident Jonathan Stone, was the front seat passenger in a vehicle that was eastbound on Poplar Springs Church Road when a vehicle that was heading west collided with their vehicle after crossing the center line.

Three others suffered injuries in the accident, which took place shortly after 4 p.m. near the county line of Chatam County and Lee County.

NC Highway Patrol Conducts Operation Drive To Live 2010

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15631 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol has begun Operation Drive To Live 2010, a special traffic safety enforcement that targets NC high school students. Beginning on Monday, June 7, North Carolina state police from all areas will be patrolling near high schools during the morning and afternoon, making sure that students behind the wheel are driving the speed limit, buckling their seat belts, and limiting driver distractions like cell phones and text messages. In addition, police officers will build awareness of traffic safety and ramp up enforcement of traffic laws.

In some towns, such as Greensboro in Jones County, police officers will do a live reenactment of a teen car crash that was caused by drunk driving. The ‘VIP for a VIP’ program hopes to educate students about the danger of drunk driving and make the potential for a serious car accident seem more real, especially as school proms and summer vacation approach.

In just the last four years, 682 teens have been killed in car accident across North Carolina. Many of these teens were speeding, driving distracted, driving recklessly, or drinking and driving. Other accidents happen as teens drive to and from school. Operation Drive To Live 2010 hopes to reduce this statistic be keeping a close eye on teens and educating them about the hazards of driving. The increased enforcement will last until the end of the week.

“Hopefully this will serve as a good reminder for these teenagers that are driving now, and are going to be driving,” Sgt. C.L. Johnston of the N.C. Highway Patrol told East North Carolina Today.

63-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Cary Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33926 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to police, a 63-year-old motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries on the night of June 20 after he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with a guardrail near Interstate 540 in Cary.

Capt. Don Hamilton of the Cary police says that the victim, Durham resident David Leon Gerberding, died at the scene.

Hamilton said the accident took place around 11 p.m. on Aviation Parkway.

Apparently, Gerberding lost control of the motorcycle and it ran off the road to the left before hitting the guardrail.

According to Hamilton, police do not believe speed or alcohol to have been factors in the crash.

The accident remains under investigation.

One Killed, Two Injured In Training Accident At N.C. Army Post

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33927 — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to a military spokeswoman, one contractor died and two other people suffered personal injuries in a training accident at a North Carolina Army post.

In a June 22 statement, Fort Bragg spokeswoman Jackie Thomas said that a range control contractor died from a gunshot wound at Womack Army Medical Center. A second range control contractor was shot and received air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

A third person was identified as a soldier who is a student at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Thomas says that solider was grazed in the arm ad received transport to Womack to undergo treatment.

According to officials, the accident took place on Range 77 during a live fire drill using small arms.

Army investigators are on the scene to look into the accident.

Clemmons Nursing Home Investigated After Elder Abuse Incident

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15630 — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Following allegations of nursing home abuse, Clemmons nursing home in Forsyth County, North Carolina may lose their funding from Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

According to digtriad.com, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received a report from a Clemmons nursing home staff member that a nurse badly harmed an elder patient while roughly transferring the patient from a bad to a wheelchair in April 2010. The patient allegedly had a large bruise on their arm and a scared expression on their face.

Following the incident, the nurse involved attempted to get friends to write false statements and the Director of Nursing claims she did not hear about the incident at all. Much of this information – and more – was uncovered during a survey of the nursing home earlier this spring.

The Clemmons nursing home also failed to file their 2009 annual report to the N.C. Secretary of State's Office.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has sent the abusive nursing home a formal letter outlining the problem and stating that they believe patients at Clemmons are not in a safe environment. They gave the nursing home until June 19 to fix the problems outlined in the letter or else face the loss of funding from Federal Medicaid and Medicare Services. In addition they recommended that the nursing home pay a fine of $10,000 for every nursing home abuse and nursing home neglect incident.

Clemmons houses around 70 residents and contains 120 beds.

Cary Police Arrested Habitual Drunk Driver After Hit-And-Run

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33839 — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Cary arrested 40-year-old Miguel Romero Barajas on June 19 after he allegedly caused an accident in which serious personal injuries were involved and fled the scene.

Police say Barajas caused an accident on Southeast Maynard Road on the afternoon of June 19 and the fled. He was later apprehended by officers who say he reeked of alcohol and was slurring his speech. He refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.

Police charged Barajas with being a habitual impaired driver, violation of probation, driving while impaired, and driving on a revoked license.

A hold has been placed on Barajas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has four prior DUI convictions in Wake County alone.

Asheboro Woman Critically Injured By Vehicle

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33840 — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Asheboro say that a woman is currently undergoing treatment for the life-threatening personal injuries she suffered after being struck by a vehicle shortly before 8 a.m. on June 21.

According to police, the woman was hit near the farmers market on South Church Street in Asheboro. She received helicopter transport to Duke Medical Center.

The identity of the woman has yet to be made available.

Police have not yet revealed the cause of the accident.

Asheville Woman Dies In Fall At Rainbow Falls In Transylvania County

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15625 — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 28-year-old Asheville woman was killed when she was swept over the lip of Rainbow Falls along Horsepasture Wild and Scenic River in Transylvania County. Brian Kreigsman, the chief detective with the Transylvania County Sheriff's Department, told the Asheville Citizen-Times that Eleanor E. Dorman was wading in a pool above the waterfall when a nearby could observed her fall and get swept over the falls.

Rainbow Falls is 120 feet high and Kreigsman believes that the woman fell approximately 80 feet. Her friends, who she was hiking with that day, pulled her from the river while they waited for emergency responders to arrive. Captain Bobby Cooper with Lake Toxaway Fire Rescue said that the moss-covered rocks in the river can be very slippery and difficult to grab hold of, while many visitors to the falls underestimate the swiftness of the water despite posted warning signs.

Four people have been killed at Rainbow Falls in the last 15 years, while 13 people have been killed in North Carolina waterfall accident since 2001. Just weeks ago, Wake County man died at Elk River Falls in Avery County. The Winston-Salem Journal reported that 41-year-old Andrew Shelley was looking over the top of the falls before he fell 50 feet to his death. Dozens more North Carolina residents are injured in waterfall accidents each year.

Dorman was an active volunteer in the Asheville community – she was a recovering addict who helped others overcome their substance abuse problems.

Harnett County Wreck Injures Four

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33785 — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina state troopers cite alcohol as a factor in an automobile accident on June 19 in which four people suffered personal injuries in western Harnett County.

According to troopers, Sanford resident Joshua Bradford was eastbound on Mount Pisgah Church Road in Broadway when he ran a stop sign around 11:15 p.m. His vehicle struck a car that was northbound on MacArthur Road.

Troopers say the driver of the second vehicle, 35-year-old Broadway resident Joey Lee Scott sustained serious injuries in the crash. She received transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Her 6-year-old son Scott, who was also in the vehicle, was unharmed.

Bradford’s passenger, 21-year-old Amanda Bird, received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville and was later air transported to WakeMed in Raleigh. A second passenger, 28-year-old Sanford resident Jerome Uiltiaga, was taken to UNC Hospitals.

Bradford was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

Troopers say that none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

Troopers say they will charge Bradford with a stop sign violation.

Arrest Made In Fayetteville Hit-And-Run

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33786 — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The suspect in a Fayetteville hit-and-run crash in which a motorcyclist suffered severe personal injuries on June 16 was arrested on June 19.

According to court documents, police arrested 30-year-old Fayetteville resident Jerome Ian Wilson on charges of felony hit-and-run, driving on a revoked license, and failure to yield the right of way, causing disabling and serious bodily injury.

Wilson was imprisoned at the Cumberland County Detention Center, where he is currently being held without bond.

Wilson has been accused of fleeing the scene after turning into the path of a motorcycle driven by 52-year-old Fayetteville resident Steven Mark Longstreet.

According to investigators, Wilson turned in front of the motorcycle on Andrews Road, causing Longstreet to collide with his vehicle. Longstreet suffered serious injuries in the collision, but has been discharged from the hospital.

N.C. Trucker Killed In Fiery Tennessee Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33773 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A trucker from North Carolina suffered fatal personal injuries in a fiery accident on the morning of June 17 in Jefferson County, Tennessee that resulted in westbound Interstate 40 being closed for more than six hours.

According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Mark Self, 68-year-old Leicester, N.C. resident Donald Wayne Sluder was killed in the crash, which took place around 2:30 a.m.

Sluder was transporting a load of plastic pipe in a trailer pulled by a 2001 Volvo tractor when he ran off the road to the right and struck a guardrail.

The tractor-trailer continued heading west, colliding with a pillar for an overpass. The impact resulted in the tractor and trailer separating. The tractor continued to travel westbound, caught fire, and eventually came to rest in both westbound lanes. Sluder was trapped inside, according to Self’s report.

Self said that Sluder was wearing his seat belt, but due to the violent impact, it made no difference.

Two Pennsylvania Men Dead, N.C. Man Injured In Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33774 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two men died and a North Carolina man suffered personal injuries on June 18 in a one-car crash in Bedford County, Two men were killed and another was injured late Friday in a one-car crash in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

The men who died the East Saint Clair Township accident were 22-year-old Schellsburg, Pennsylvania resident Joseph M. Fetter and 18-year-old Osterburg, Pennsylvania resident Chans M. Feather. The third man, 20-year-old Camp Lejeune, N.C. resident Gary L. Pfahler Jr. sustained moderate injuries.

According to police, shortly before 10:30 p.m., Fetter was traveling at a high rate of speed on Route 869 when he lost control while rounding a mild left curve. The vehicle ran off the road to the right, collided with a utility pole, overturned multiple times, collided with a large tree, and overturned once more before coming to rest on its roof.

Fetter and Feather were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle. Pfahler was wearing his seat belt and was not ejected.

Orange County ATV Accident Injures Two

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33775 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two people suffered personal injuries in an accident involving a pair of all-terrain vehicles in northern Orange County at about noon on June 19.

According to emergency dispatchers, the victims were riding their ATVs in a field underneath power lines around Troon Lane, which is near Caldwell.

One victim required air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. The second received ambulance transport to Duke University Hospital in Durham.

The identities of the victims and updates on their conditions were not immediately made available.

Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Tractor-Trailer Near Rocky Mount

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33776 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina state troopers reported that a pedestrian suffered fatal personal injuries after being struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 95 North, north of Rocky Mount, on the morning of June 19.

Troopers say the man was walking alongside the interstate before stepping into the tractor-trailer’s path at mile marker 146 at about 8:30 a.m. The truck’s side was the part of the vehicle that struck him.

Troopers say they found no fault by the driver, who immediately stopped after the accident. They do not expect charges to be filed.

The accident resulted in traffic on both sides of the interstate being slowed.

Warrants Issued For Driver In Fayetteville Hit-And-Run That Seriously Injured Motorcyclist

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33777 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police have issued warrants for a driver who allegedly struck and caused serious personal injuries to a motorcyclist on Andrews Road in Fayetteville on June 16.

According to police spokesman Sgt. John Somerindyke, 30-year-old Jerome Ian Wilson is to be charged with felony hit-and-run, driving on a revoked license, and failure to yield causing serious injury upon his arrest.

Wilson has been accused of fleeing the scene after he allegedly turned into the path of a motorcycle driven by 52-year-old Steven Mark Longstreet.

Somerindyke said the crash occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. in front of the Andrews Commons shopping center.

According to investigators, Wilson turned left in front of the motorcycle, causing it to collide with the right side of his vehicle.

Witnesses say the driver did a U-turn in the parking lot before driving off, according to Somerindyke.

The vehicle involved in the crash was located on June 17 near Eureka Avenue and Church Street, Somerindyke said.

Recalls Issued For Two Popular Grocery Items

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33778 — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Recalls have been issued for two popular grocery items due to a risk of personal injury. The products in question are SpaghettiOs believed to have not been adequately heated during processing and Marie Callender’s frozen dinners posing a risk of salmonella.

Both recalls were announced on June 17 by the Department of Agriculture. ConAgra Foods is issuing a recall for all Marie Callender’s brand cheesy chicken-and-rice frozen meals after they were potentially linked to an outbreak of salmonella in 14 states. Campbell Soup is issuing a recall for 15 million pounds of SpaghettiOs with meatballs because of a malfunctioning cooker at one of the company’s Texas plants.

According to ConAgra, the recall for the Marie Callender’s meals came after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed the company of a possible link between the meals and 29 illnesses. Eight of the people who were sickened say they consumed the product in April or May.

All of the meals, which bear the label “Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice: White Meat Chicken and Broccoli Over Topped With Rich Cheddar Sauce” are under recall by ConAgra, regardless of the date of production. The product was distributed to retail outlets across the U.S.

The most common salmonella symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. The illness can be life-threatening, especially to those who have weakened immune systems.

No illnesses have been reported in connection to the SphagettiOs under recall, but Anthony Sanzio said the company is issuing a recall for certain lots of the product manufactured since December 2008 “out of an abundance of caution” due to officials not being certain when a cooker at the plant in Paris, Texas malfunctioned.

Due to the cans not being sufficiently heated, Sanzio said, they could potentially be ripe for bacterial growth and the product could spoil before its use-by date.

Sanzio said the recall likely affects around 35,000 cases of SphagettiOs currently on the market.

Three varieties of the product often consumed by children are under recall: SpaghettiOs with Meatballs, SpaghettiOs A to Z with Meatballs, and SpaghettiOs Fun Shapes with Meatballs (Cars).

Sanzio says the company has currently not received any complaints from customers.

NC Highway Patrol Investigate Deadly Jamestown Car Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33673 — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

After a grandmother and her 11-year-old granddaughter were killed in a Jamestown car accident, the North Carolina Highway Patrol and accident reconstruction experts are investigating the cause of the fatal crash.

The deadly North Carolina car accident occurred at the intersection of Business 85 at River Road, where a NC state trooper smashed into a car while pursuing a reckless driver. The North Carolina car accident left two people dead and seriously injured two children. The accident reconstruction team hopes to determine how fast the police officer was going and whether or not there was any hesitation at the intersection where the car crash took place. The family of the car accident victims watched on as the team took measurements and collected data – they say they want to know why the accident took place and how it could have been prevented.

Authorities are still searching for the speeding car that the officer was pursing at the time of the accident – the car is a blue Pontiac Grand Am.

Falling Plaster Injures Two Greensboro Construction Workers

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33671 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two North Carolina construction workers were injured while on the job in Greensboro on Wednesday afternoon at around 3 PM. According to authorities, the two men were renovating the Foust Hall dormitory at the University of North Carolina – Greensboro (UNCG) when plaster from the first floor ceiling fell onto the workers, injuring their backs and legs.

The workers were demolition subcontractors working for Clean Air Environmental and were part of the construction project on campus to replace old windows, revamp bathrooms, replace the fire alarm system, and install a new sprinkler system. Both Foust Hall and Guilford Hall are involved in the renovations.

The Guilford County EMS and Guilford County firefighters responded to the emergency call and transported both injured construction workers to a nearby hospital for treatment. It is unclear what caused the stucco ceiling to collapse during the renovations.

Onslow County Woman Charged In Fatal November Wreck

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33606 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Onslow County was charged on June 15 in connection to an automobile accident last year in which a Jacksonville man suffered fatal personal injuries.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol charged 24-year-old Heather N. Trejo-Aikens with felony death by motor vehicle in the November 7 death of 24-year-old Jason Kirby Rochelle.

The bond for Trejo-Aikens was set at $50,000. Her first court appearance was scheduled for June 16.

On the day of the accident, Rochelle was approximately half a mile from his home when his 1972 International truck was struck head-on by Trejo-Aikens’ 2006 Honda Civic. The NCHP says that Trejo-Aikens was intoxicated and driving at a rate of 75 mph in a 55 mph zone. She crossed left of center before the collision.

Rochelle was killed upon impact. Trejo-Aikens suffered serious injuries in the crash and received air transport to Pitt County Memorial Hospital.

Neither driver was wearing a seat belt. The NCHP says Rochelle was one of 24 people killed in Onslow wrecks in 2009.

Woman Severely Bitten On Face By Dog At Park

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33607 — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman suffered severe personal injuries when she was bitten on the face by a dog at McNaughton Park in Elkhart, Indiana on the evening of June 15.

Police say the 41-year-old woman was at the park with a group of people when she encountered a man who was walking a Labrador and asked if she could pet it. When she began flailing her arms, the dog bit her on the lip.

The police report says that the bite wound was severe.

The Elkhart Police Department’s animal control officer is conducting a follow-up investigation.

High School Student Killed In Concord Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33502 — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

On June 12, a 17-year-old Concord High School student suffered fatal personal injuries in an automobile accident on N.C. 73 near Lake Lynn Road.

According to Trooper O.F. Maready of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Kelly Campbell was a passenger in a 2003 Ford pickup driven by 18-year-old Julia Morris. The truck apparently ran off the road to the right and Morris overcorrected. The truck then overturned and collided with a utility pole.

Campbell died in the accident. Morris received hospital transport with injuries not considered to be life-threatening.

Maready said the truck suffered “pretty extensive” damage to the left side and top.

On the day of the accident, Morris and Campbell were returning home from Concord High’s graduation ceremony.

Maready said that the accident’s cause is being investigation and the NCHP has not yet decided if it will file charges.

Fuquay-Varina Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Near Holly Springs

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33503 — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Dispatchers for the North Carolina Highway Patrol said that a motorcyclist who suffered fatal personal injuries in an accident near Holly Springs on the evening of June 14 has been identified as 25-year-old Fuquay-Varina resident Matthew Reese Moore.

The dispatchers said that Moore died in the accident, which took place at around 7 p.m. on Holly Springs Road approximately three-tenths of a mile south of Holly Springs.

No further details about the accident have been released by the NCHP.

12 Injured In Ceiling Collapse At Church Near Hickory

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33438 — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A dozen people suffered personal injuries during worship services at a church near Hickory when the church’s ceiling fell.

According to reports from multiple media outlets, around noon on June 13, a portion of the ceiling fell at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Hickory Police Lt. Bryan Adams said that approximately 200 people were in attendance at the church at the time of the incident. Some of the ceiling tiles in the back of the church fell.

Twelve people received transport to hospitals in the area. The church’s pastor, Rev. Antonio Logan, said that the majority of the injuries wear head wounds and cuts.

The cause of the 52-year-old building’s ceiling collapse remains under investigation.

Motorcyclist Injured In Collision With SUV In Fayetteville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33439 — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A motorcyclist required hospital transport for personal injuries suffered in a collision with a sport utility vehicle on Raeford Road in Fayetteville on the afternoon of June 14.

The accident took place shortly after 2:30 p.m. near the intersection with Hope Mills Road.

According to police, a Ford Expedition exited a business parking lot, turning into the motorcycle’s path on Raeford Road.

The motorcycle’s operator received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. No information about the patient’s condition was immediately released.

The SUV’s driver received a citation for failure to yield to traffic.

The accident caused traffic on Raeford Road to be completely shut down for approximately 30 minutes.

Man Injured In Small Plane Crash In Wilmington

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33386 — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A North Carolina official says that a 72-year-old man suffered personal injuries in a crash involving a small plane near a small airstrip in Wilmington.

According to New Hanover County sheriff’s Cpl. J.J. Brewer, pilot Ted G. Stone received transport to a local hospital with a broken leg and multiple cuts.

No one else was injured in the accident.

According to Brewer, the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation have been notified in order for an investigation to be conducted.

Man Charged In Crash That Injured Harnett County Teens

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33387 — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Moncure has been charged with running a red light in connection to a June 12 accident in which a Harnett County teenager suffered serious personal injuries.

Police charged 33-year-old Donald Ray Thomas Jr. in connection to the accident that injured 18-year-od Cameron resident Henrietta Humes.

North Carolina state troopers say that Humes suffered a broken pelvis and broken legs. Her injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. She received transport to Cape Fear in Wilmington before being transferred to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

According to troopers, Thomas was driving a 2008 Dodge pickup truck that collided with a 2010 Hyundai passenger car in which Humes was a passenger at the intersection of South Barbecue Church Road and N.C. Highway 27 in Lillington.

The driver of the Hyundai, 18-year-old Cameron resident Shaina Kaye Merritt, received treatment at Womack Army Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.

Thomas and his passenger, Heather Begroat, both underwent treatment for minor injuries at Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford.

Accident On N.C. 87 Claims Life Of Child

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33362 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Accident On N.C. 87 Claims Life Of Child

A five-vehicle accident on N.C. 87 claimed the life of a 5-year-old- boy in front of the Linden Oaks subdivision.

Jaquel Parker, 5 of Lumber Bridge was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Shonda Parker, 37.

Although they both lived at the same address, it was not known if they were related.

The accident is being investigated.

Patrolman Killed In High Speed Pursuit

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33367 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Patrolman Killed In High Speed Pursuit

A Highway Patrol motorcycle officer in California was killed on Friday while chasing four suspects in San Bernadino County. The Patrolman crashed into a tractor-trailer at a speed of around 100 mph.

Patrolman Tom Coleman, a seven-year veteran had attempted to pull over a vehicle he suspected of code violations. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop.

Coleman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The vehicle driven by the suspect smashed into a curb a short distance away. The four occupants were taken into custody and arrested for unknown charges.

Coleman is the second CHP to be in a crash this week. An officer was in critical condition after being hit by a motorist on Wednesday.

Man In Wheelchair Fatally Struck By Car In Winston-Salem

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33375 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Winston-Salem are searching for the driver of a sport utility vehicle that witnesses say struck a man who was crossing the street in a motorized wheelchair, causing him to suffer fatal personal injuries.

According to a report from Greensboro’s the News & Record, 57-year-old Ronald Lee Watson was discovered lying on an onramp to U.S. 52 in Winston-Salem on June 11.

Witnesses told police that the silver Chevrolet SUC briefly stopped before continuing to travel along the highway.

Officials say that Watson was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

Driver Charged In Fatal Hit-And-Run In Asheville

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33376 — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police have charged a North Carolina man with felony hit-and-run in connection to a crash in which a motorcyclist suffered fatal personal injuries.

According to a report in the Asheville Citizen-Times, 22-year-old Aron Clifford Hallum turned himself in on June 11. He was also charged with driving on a revoked license.

Police said that a car struck a motorcycle driven by 36-year-old Asheville resident Johnnie Nelson Faircloth Jr. on June 11, killing him. A female passenger on the motorcycle was injured, but her injuries are not considered life-threatening.

According to investigators, the car’s driver fled the scene, leaving his car and two passengers behind.

Scooter Driver Charged With DWI After Burlington Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33350 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A scooter driver was arrested on the night of June 10 after an accident at the intersection of Rauhut and Key Street in Burlington in which he suffered personal injuries.

According to Burlington police, 30-year-old Kenneth Ludwig was found lying in the road shortly after 11 p.m. They say the initial report was that he had been struck by another vehicle. However, it was later determined to have been a single-vehicle accident.

Ludwig sustained injuries to his face and legs. Alamance County EMS treated him at the scene and he was taken to Alamance Regional Medical Center for further treatment.

Investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the crash and Ludwig was arrested on a charge of driving while impaired. He was place in jail under a $300 bond.

Ludwig was convicted of DWI in Alamance County in 2007. He served just under two months in prison.

Troopers Say Couple Was Nude At Time Of Onslow County Motorcycle Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33351 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina state troopers said that a man and woman were both nude when they suffered personal injuries after their motorcycle crashed on the morning of June 11 in Onslow County. The man is a Marine gunnery sergeant at Camp Lejeune.

According to troopers, Gunnery Sergeant Steven Sheals was eastbound on Meadowview Road when his motorcycle ran off the road to the right. He and his passenger, Jennifer Smith, were both ejected from the bike. The North Carolina Highway Patrol said that Smith suffered a broken arm and leg in the accident, but was able to crawl a third of a mile for help.

Troopers said that at the time of the accident, Sheals and Smith were both in the nude. Alcohol is considered to have been a factor.

Police charged Sheals with DWI, reckless driving, driving without a license, driving on a revoked license, expired inspection, no insurance, and driving without a helmet.

Sheals received transport to New Hanover Regional Hospital and was listed in fair condition. Smith received treatment from Onslow Memorial Hospital and was released.

Woman Taken To Emergency Room For Dog Bite To Face

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33249 — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Fargo, North Dakota say that a 51-year-old woman was sent to the emergency room for the personal injuries she suffered when she was bitten on the face when she bent down to pet a stranger’s dog on June 8.

Sgt. Mark Lykken said that the victim said that she was smoking a cigarette outside the Bismarck Tavern around 8:30 p.m. when a woman with two dogs walked by.

According to what the victim told police, she bent down to pet the larger of the two dogs, but the dog bit her in the face. She received ambulance transport to MeritCare Hospital with an apparent bite to the face, according to Lykken.

However, the owner of the dogs says that when the victim bent down to pet the dog, it did not bite her face, it merely scratched her.

Lykken said that police would check the dog’s shots record, but they appear to be current. He also issued a reminder to always ask the owner’s permission before petting a dog.

Soldier Injured In Hoke County Crash That Killed Two In Hoke County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33250 — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A soldier who suffered personal injuries in an accident in Hoke County on June 5 in which two people were killed is currently recovering at Womack Army Medical Center, according to a spokeswoman.

Spokeswoman Shannon Lynch said that 32-year-Raeford resident Adam Daniel Sexton was scheduled to be moved out of the intensive care unit on June 10. She said that he was being moved to the surgical recovery unit and is doing well.

On the day of the accident, Sexton was traveling in a 2008 Ford sport utility vehicle when a car driven by 22-year-old Raeford resident crossed the center line on Club Pond Road and collided with his vehicle, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Both O’Bannon and a passenger in his vehicle, 22-year-old Raeford resident Casandra A. Kist, died in the wreck.

The NCHP estimated that O’Bannon’s vehicle was traveling around 75 mph in a 45 mph zone at the time of the accident.

Cousins Killed When Their ATVs Collide In Surry County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33184 — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Two men who were cousins suffered fatal personal injuries on the night of June 8 when the all-terrain vehicles they were operating collided head-on with one another near a private road near Mount Airy, reported emergency officials in Surry County.

According to Emergency Services Director John Shelton, 20-year-old Chad Everett Moore and 19-year-old Steve Smith Jarvis III died after a head-on collision between their ATVs near Crane Lane in Pine Ridge.

Shelton referred to the collision as a “freak accident,” saying that both men were rounding a bend in the trail and never saw one another. He said that neither man was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and alcohol and drugs are not believed to have been factors.

Shelton said the ATVs were traveling at an estimated speed of 25-30 mph when the collision occurred.

An aunt of both men says that they both regularly rode in the area and had left together to go riding on the night of the accident. It is not certain when they split up and began to travel in opposite directions.

Two Vehicles Overturn In Separate Fayetteville Accidents

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33185 — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fayetteville police responded to the scene of two accidents involving personal injuries on the morning of June 9, both of which involved vehicles that overturned.

Police radio reports indicated that the first accident was reported around 8:15 a.m. on the All American Freeway at Santa Fe Drive near the Fort Bragg entrance. Further details were not immediately made available.

The second accident was reported nearly 10 minutes later on Hoke Loop Road.

Police Spokesman Dan Grubb said that 16-year-old Addison Steed lost control while driving a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo around a curve at a high rate of speed. The sport utility vehicle overturned three times and came to rest on its roof.

Grubb said that Steed and three of his five passengers were unharmed. The two other passengers received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and were released after undergoing treatment.

Police cited Steed for careless and reckless driving. The four back seat passengers were cited for failure to wear their seat belts, according to Grubb.

SUV Overturns In Charlotte, Trapping Driver

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33119 — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A traffic accident on Interstate 85 North in north Charlotte resulted in a driver suffering severe personal injuries on the afternoon of June 7.

The accident took place shortly before 2:30 p.m., just north of the West Sugar Creek exit on I-85.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that the driver of a maroon-colored sport utility vehicle lost control of the SUV, which collided head-on with the concrete barrier.

A state trooper said the SUV overturned twice and the driver became trapped inside.

MEDIC said that the driver received transport to Carolinas Medical Center-Main with injuries that were considered to be life-threatening.

One Killed, One Injured In Edenton Airplane Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)33120 — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man who suffered fatal personal injuries in a plane crash in Edenton on the night of June 7 has been identified as 69-year-old Edenton resident William Thomas Jordan, an experienced pilot with more than 40,000 hours of flight experience, according to Chowan County Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin.

The small plane had two occupants and crashed around 7:30 p.m. Goodwin said Jordan died and another man, 48-year-old Suffolk, Virginia resident Joseph S. Konicki, was injured. He said it was unclear which was piloting at the time.

Konicki received transport to Chowan Hospital and was later transferred to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. He was listed in good condition as of June 8, according to Sentara spokeswoman Gloria Seitz.

The crash took place shortly after takeoff, just off the runway at Northeastern Regional Airport in Edenton, according to Edenton Fire Department Chief Charlie Westbrook. Goodwin said the wreckage was concealed from the road and runway by trees and brush.

The plane involved was a Beechcraft 60 “Duke,” which is a two-engine plane.

Kathleen Bergen, a Federal Aviation Administration based out of Atlanta, said that the crash is under investigation by the FAA. She said the National Transportation Safety Board would determine the crash’s probable cause.

Train Collides With Tractor-Trailer In Rowand County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32986 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the morning of June 7, a tractor-trailer was struck by a train in Rowand County, resulting in personal injuries.

The accident took place at about 10:30 a.m. near Statesville Boulevard in Cleveland.

Apparently, the locomotive struck the tractor-trailer and dragged it for several feet.

According to the writing on the tractor-trailer’s door, it belonged to American Cartage. It was struck by a westbound Norfolk-Southern train.

Someone in the truck’s cab required transport to an Iredell County hospital via ambulance.

The accident remains under the investigation of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

One Dead, Three Injured In Multi-Vehicle Crash In Stallings

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32987 — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police in Stallings responded to a June 6 accident at around 4 p.m. in which several vehicles were involved, one person was killed, and several sustained personal injuries. Police arrived at the scene at the intersection of Lawyers Road and Gold Dust Drive to discover four passenger vehicles and a motorcycle were involved.

Four of the people involved received transport from Union EMS to Carolinas Medical Center-Main in Charlotte.

The motorcycle’s operator, 51-year-old Stallings resident Donald James Fumo, was rear-ended by a sport utility vehicle driven by Stallings resident Richard Hardin. Fumo was ejected into the vehicle that had stopped in front of him, resulting in a collision with the two other vehicles involved.

Fumo was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The three others who received hospital transport were released after undergoing treatment.

The accident remains under investigation.

One Dead, One Injured When Vehicle Hits Building In Winston-Salem

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32919 — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Winston-Salem died and another person suffered personal injuries early on the morning of June 6 when their vehicle collided with an unoccupied building in Winston-Salem.

According to police, 41-year-old Winston-Salem resident Christopher Caviness was the driver of the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 20-year-old Winston-Salem resident Erica Brown received transport to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center with injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

At about 2:30 a.m. on June 6, a Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputy spotted two vehicles quickly traveling south on N. Liberty Street. He lost sight of the vehicles and attempted to catch up with them when he saw that one had crashed into an unoccupied building along the street.

Police cite speed as a factor, but have not determined if alcohol was a factor. The death is the seventh traffic fatality in Winston-Salem in 2010.

Kenly Man Charged In Pedestrians' Deaths

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32920 — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 34-year-old man from Kenly has been charged after an accident on June 6 in which two female pedestrians suffered fatal personal injuries.

According to police, Jimmy Vincent Coleman was driving a vehicle that struck the pedestrians shortly before 4:30 a.m. on Raleigh Road Parkway.

The victims died at the scene of the accident. Their names will not be released until next of kin has been notified.

Police charged Coleman with two counts of felony death by motor vehicle and one count of driving on a license that had been revoked. He was taken to Wilson County jail and placed under a $100,000 secured bond.

The accident remains under investigation.

Coleman has prior convictions, including burglary, vehicle break-ins, and larceny from 1995 and 1996, according to records from the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

Two Seriously Injured In Fayetteville Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32921 — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

On June 5, two women sustained serious personal injuries after the vehicle they were traveling in ran off the road on Pamalee Drive, slid up an embankment, and collided with a pine tree.

The Fayetteville Police Department reports that 18-year-old Stacey Lenette Lino was driving north on Murchison Road around 2:44 p.m. when the vehicle ran off the road to the right and struck a tree. Her passengers, 16-year-old Shaquandra Easter and 17-year-old Shakira Bell, were seriously injured in the crash. One of the women had to be cut out of the car by firefighters.

Police say Lino suffered only minor injuries in the accident.

Bell was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition as of the night of the accident.

According to a representative from Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Easter received air transport to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill; however UNC did not list Easter as a patient.

No further information was immediately available.

Nine Injured In Head-On Collision Between Car And School Bus

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32922 — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Six children and three adults required medical treatment for the personal injuries they sustained when a car collided head-on with a school bus in Holly Springs on June 4, reported a town spokesman.

Spokesman Mark Andrews said that the children’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Four of the children received transport to WakeMed in Cary and two received transport to WakeMed in Apex.

Andrews said that 19-year-old Fuquay-Varina resident, the driver of the Buick LeSabre that hit the school bus, and his passenger, 20-year-old Willow Spring resident Donald Lee-Guiton, suffered serious injuries in the accident. Both received transport to WakeMed in Raleigh, where they were listed in fair condition as of June 5.

An adult driver in a third vehicle also sustained injuries, but they were not believed to be life-threatening. That driver received transport to WakeMed in Cary.

The bus was transporting students from Holly Ridge Middle School when Caso, southbound on North Main Street shortly before 3 p.m., crossed the center line, clipped a car traveling north, and hit the bus head-on, according to Andrews.

Pedestrian Fatally Struck Near Roseboro

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32873 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A pedestrian suffered fatal personal injuries on June 3 after walking into the path of a vehicle near Roseboro, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

A spokeswoman said the victim’s name had not been released pending notification of next of kin. She would not say whether it was a male or female.

The spokeswoman said the accident took place approximately a mile from Roseboro on Claudes Drag Road. It was reported shortly after 9:30 p.m.

The victim was walking along the southbound lane and walked in front of a southbound Dodge pickup truck, according to the spokeswoman, who would not identify the driver.

The spokeswoman said that Trooper R.K. Williams was the investigating officer.

One Teen Dead, One Injured When SUV Crashes Into Dunn Wal-Mart

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32874 — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Police say one high school student was killed and another suffered personal injuries on the morning of June 4 after their sport utility vehicle crashed into a Wal-Mart store in Dunn.

Police said that 16-year-old Ashley Moore died in the accident and the driver, 18-year-old Dillon Tart, received air transport to WakeMed where he was listed in stable condition later that afternoon. Both were identified as students of Triton High School in Erwin.

Witnesses said that they saw the two arguing in the SUV as the exited the Murphy Gas station in the parking lot at the Wal-Mart. The SUV then accelerated and clipped two other vehicles in the parking lot before overturning several times and colliding with the front of the store.

Ron Robinson, who was inside the store when the crash occurred, said he heard glass breaking and a sound “like a bomb had gone off.” He said he immediately ran outside to help the teens trapped inside the vehicle.

Robinson said they tried to keep Tart’s neck stabilized, but were unable to get to Moore until the roof was cut off the vehicle.

Murphy Gas station manager Sammi Locklear said she could hear Moore screaming as the vehicle sped across the parking lot.

Police say the other two vehicles were empty at the time.

The front of the store sustained some damage, but the store remained open.

Police say the case is being investigated as a domestic situation or a medical condition as the cause of the accident.

Investigators with the North Carolina Highway Patrol were attempting to reconstruct the crash in order to determine the SUV’s speed and if the vehicle had any mechanical defect. They planned to use security camera footage to aid with their reconstruction.

Jury Trial Requested After Dog Bites Son Of Singer Edwin McCain

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32783 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

The man whose dog police say bit and caused personal injuries to the son of singer Edwin McCain has requested a jury trial.

The owner of the dog, Kenneth Shaw, was summoned to appear in court on the afternoon of June 2. However, his attorney requested a trial by jury, meaning that the case will be heard out on a later date.

Shaw has been charged with violating the city of Greenville, South Carolina’s vicious dog ordinance.

Two weeks prior to the scheduled court appearance, investigators say that a Rottweiler owned by Shaw bit McCain’s son, 4-year-old Watt McCain, at a YMCA during a soccer game.

The police report said that McCain’s son was running close to the side lines when the dog was startled and bit him in the face.

McCain and the plastic surgeon who treated his son are calling for the YMCA and other such places to change their policies and ban pets at children’s events.

Shaw wrote an apology statement to the McCain family prior to the Greenville Municipal Court appearance on June 2.

Police Say NCDOT Worker's Death Result Of Distracted Driving

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32785 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Authorities say the cause of a North Carolina Department of Transportation worker suffering fatal personal injuries on the morning of June 2 when a tractor-trailer struck him was distracted driving.

The N.C. Highway Patrol reported that 21-year-old Autryville resident Jonathan King died around 7 a.m. while working on the shoulder of Interstate 40 at mile marker 364 in Duplin County.

Another NCDOT worker, Brady Williams, sustained injures in the accident. He was transported to Sampson Memorial Hospital and was released after undergoing treatment.

According to authorities, the driver of the tractor-trailer, St. Paul’s resident Ernest Harris, had been looking at some shipping papers shortly before the collision.

According to Highway Patrol 1st Sgt. Will Thurston, Harris briefly took his eyes off the road, and when he looked at the road again, he had crossed the white line and was headed straight for the DOT truck. He didn’t have enough time left to evade the truck.

Police charged Harris with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane control, and failure to reduce speed.

According to DOT spokeswoman Greer Beatty, King and Williams were preparing for a lane closure for bridge construction. King had exited the truck to unhook a construction sign from it when the truck was hit, pinning him.

One Dead, Two Injured In Durham Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32707 — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the afternoon of June 1, a two-vehicle accident resulted in a woman from Durham suffering fatal personal injuries.

Police say the accident took place shortly before 3:30 p.m. near Mandy Court and Biscayne Road. A 2005 Mazda driven west by 18-year-old Durham resident Allyn Hubbard Hunt collided with a 2005 Ford Focus driven east by 63-year-old Durham resident Bettie Hall Boring. According to a preliminary investigation, Hunt’s vehicle crossed the center line, said police spokeswoman Kammie Michael.

Boring died at the scene. Hunt sustained minor injuries in the accident and his female passenger received transport to Duke University Hospital to undergo treatment for leg injuries.

As of June 1, no charges had been filed, but the accident remained under investigation.

Man Pleads Guilty Over Fatal Raleigh Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32708 — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man at the wheel of a car that caused a Raleigh Waffle House waitress to sustain fatal personal injuries in an accident on May 2009 pleaded guilty on June 1 to felony death by motor vehicle.

On June 1, 38-year-old Chad Rodman was sentenced to a prison sentence of 20-33 months in Wake County Superior Court.

On May 13, 2009, 76-year-old Betty Mathis Moody died on U.S. Highway 401 in Wake Forest when Rodman’s car crossed the center line and struck her vehicle, according to investigators.

According to court testimony, at the time, Rodman was taking medications for pain and depression and was under the influence of some of those medications on the morning of the fatal wreck.

Moody, whom regulars at the Hillsborough Street Waffle House referred to as “Miss Betty,” worked the “bar rush” shift. She was just leaving work and was on her way home at the time of the accident.

Man Charged In Fatal Roxboro Boating Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32653 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 33-year-old man has been charged by authorities in connection with a boat collision that resulted in a woman suffering fatal personal injuries on the Mayo Reservoir in Roxboro on the evening of May 30.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officials say that Robert Franklin Gentry drove a ski boat into the back of a pontoon boat, resulting in the death of Tammy Duke, the wife of the pontoon boat’s owner.

The ski boat went through the pontoon and hit Duke, knocking her into the water shortly before 10 p.m.

Duke received transport to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Investigators say they don’t know if the cause of death was the impact or drowning. Her body was sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Sgt. Bill Taylor said that Gentry left the scene, but turned himself in around four hours later. He submitted to an alcohol test, but authorities did not release the results.

Gentry was charged with boating while impaired, careless and reckless boat operation resulting in the death of a person, and failure to render assistance and submit identification at a boat accident. More charges are possible.

Woman Killed In Crash Identified As Fayetteville Resident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32654 — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman who died of the personal injuries she suffered in a single-vehicle accident on Stoney Point Road in Cumberland County has been identified by police as 30-year-old Fayetteville resident Teresa Nelms.

Fayetteville police say Nelms was killed when the 1996 Jeep Cherokee she was traveling in ran off the road and collided with a tree at approximately 7:15 p.m.

Police say the accident took place near Galatia Church Road and it is not yet known if the heavy rain at the time was a factor.

Girl Injured In Apex Go-Kart Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32552 — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An 11-year-old girl suffered personal injuries on the evening of May 30 in a go-carting accident in Apex.

According to police, the girl and her brother collided with a pickup truck that had been parked in a field off Green Level Church Road.

Paramedics say the girl got stuck underneath the truck. They worked to free her and took her to a hospital nearby. She is expected to recover.

Further details, including the girl’s identity, have yet to be released.

Fatal Crash In Vance County

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32553 — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers reported that one person suffered fatal personal injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Vance County late on May 30.

According to investigators, the man was killed after his sport utility vehicle went too fast around a curve on Brookston Road and struck a ditch. They say he was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident and was ejected.

Troopers say they believe alcohol and speed to have been factors in the crash.

The identity of the man has yet to be released. He was the lone occupant of the SUV.

Stricter Dog Laws Wanted

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32557 — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A 9-year-old Spring Lake boy is getting better after he was attacked by a pit pull.

Aaron Smith was attacked by the pit bull on May 26. According to his stepfather, Jody Pendleton, Aaron suddered from bone-deep wounds in his leg.

Aaron and a friend were talking with each other at the edge of the yard. As he was walking back to his bike the dog lunged at him biting his left leg.

Aaron's stepfarher said children had been chased by the dog on previous occasions. The owner of the pit bull, Jim Fink said the dog was harmless.

Even though the injuries were not serious, the dog had bitten two other children in the past year.

Harnett County does not have a leash law. The owner kept the dog tied, but the dog breaks loose from time to time.

According to Rhonda Hudson, interim animal control directorthe county does not have the authority to immediately remove the dog from the premises.

After an attack, the owner is required tp pay a fine in the amount of $70.00 tp release the animal from quarantine. Then the owner would have to confine the animal at home.

The owner would be required to keep the animal in a secured environment.

Hudson says Fink surrendered the dog, which means the dog will be euthanized.

Still, Pendleton says Harnett County needs a tougher law.

According to officials, concerned neighbors can petition animal control to remove a potentially dangerous animal. The agency reviews the request and decides whether the animal should be taken away.

Greensboro Man Dies In Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32503 — Sun, 30 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to Greensboro police, a 22-year-old man suffered fatal personal injuries on the morning of May 29 when his car collided with a utility pole.

Police say that Greensboro resident Milton Jenkins was southbound on Yanceyville Street shortly after 3 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle, which ran off the road and collided with a pole. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Three other passengers in Jenkins’ vehicle received hospital transport, and were released after undergoing treatment.

Police have not said whether they believe alcohol and/or speed to be factors. They say the accident remains under investigation.

Four Family Members Dead, One Critically Injured In Crash Near Rocky Mount

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32504 — Sun, 30 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An accident on Interstate 95 in Nash County in which a sport utility vehicle ran off the road and overturned resulted in four members of a family from South Carolina suffering fatal personal injuries.

The lone survivor of the accident, a 90-year-old woman, was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, where she was listed in critical condition.

Shortly before 6 p.m. on May 29, the family was traveling south on I-95 when the 2004 Saturn Vue ran off the road into the wooded center median, collided with two pine trees, and overturned, coming to rest on the driver’s side, according to Sgt. E.D. Lemons of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred near Rocky Mount, approximately 70 miles east of Raleigh.

The victims were the driver, 30-year-old Sylvester Pernell, and backseat passengers 28-year-old Jamal Pernell, 21-year-old Kimberly Pernell, and 55-year-old Georgia Pernell, all residents of Dillon, South Carolina.

The survivor, 90-year-old Annie Mae Brown, was in the front passenger seat.

Lemons said that Brown and Pernell were both wearing their seat belts, but the others were not.

Lemons said that troopers have yet to determine the cause of the accident, which remains under investigation.

Four Teenagers Injured When Driver Faints While Trying To Hold Breath

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32496 — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to police, four teenagers from upstate New York who attempted to hold their breath for the time it took for their vehicle to travel a third of a mile suffered personal injuries when the driver fainted.

Authorities said that three 19-year-old men and a 16-year-old boy were traveling together late on the night of May 24 when they decided they would try to hold their breath as they drove through Garbutt, a rural hamlet in the Rochester, New York area that is just three-tenths of a mile long.

According to Monroe County sheriff’s deputies, the driver, 19-year-old Caledonia, New York resident Bryan Parslow, fainted and the vehicle collided with a boulder.

Police cited Parslow for failure to stay in his lane. He is a paraplegic for whom the vehicle was specially equipped to drive.

All four teens received transport to a hospital and were released after undergoing treatment.

Pedestrian Hit By Train Near Kenly

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32497 — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Emergency dispatchers say a pedestrian suffered personal injuries late on the night of May 26 after being struck by a train just south of Kenly along the CSX tracks that run underneath Interstate 95.

According to the dispatchers, the initial report came in shortly before 11 p.m. The train’s engineer had stopped because he believed he may have struck someone.

Police searched the tracks and discovered the injured pedestrian, who was transported to WakeMed in Raleigh.

Three Dead, Driver Flees After Truck Rolls Down Embankment In Sanford

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32498 — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Authorities are searching for the driver of a truck that overturned and rolled down an embankment in Sanford early on the morning of May 29, causing three passengers to suffer fatal personal injuries.

Upon their arrival shortly before 1:30 a.m., Sanford police discovered two men lying on the ground outside the truck and another inside. Two were pronounced dead at the scene. The third had a faint pulse, but was later pronounced dead at Central Carolina Hospital, according to a police report.

Police say a witness said he spotted someone crawling out of the truck before staggering away. Police searched the area, which was near Jefferson Davis Highway and Douglas Drive, but were unable to locate the person.

The three deceased men were identified by police as Sanford residents Edwin Perez Hernandez, Claudia Baudillo Hernandez, and Fermin Patrocino Perez, all of the same address. The report indicates that the driver was possibly Hugo Alfredo Hernandez, also of the same address.

The Nissan truck is registered to Santos Labor Solutions out of Yadkinville, according to the report.

Worker Dies In Fall At N.C. Aviation Company

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32499 — Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An incident in which an aircraft worker suffered fatal personal injuries is under investigation by North Carolina labor officials.

According to a report from the News & Record of Greensboro, 41-year-old Preston Strickland died on May 28 while working at TIMCO Aviation Services.

According to Guilford County sheriff’s Lt. H.D. Burroughs, Strickland fell a distance of around two stories as he was working on a plane. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Burroughs did not say whether or not Strickland was wearing proper safety equipment, saying that it would be part of the investigation of the state Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Division.

According to agency spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry, generally a worker death investigation takes around three to four months to complete.

TIMCO provides aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.

North Carolina Animal Control Officer Shoots Loose Pit Bull

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15118 — Fri, 28 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office and the Concord Police are under fire from local residents who say that a Sheriff’s deputy unnecessarily shot a loose pit bull that was not acting aggressive or vicious toward humans.

Last week in North Carolina, two pit bulls escaped from their fenced yard when their owners were out to dinner – and a neighbor called to alert police to the large, loose dogs. When Concord Police arrived, they attempted to catch the dog for almost an hour before calling an animal control officer with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department. That deputy also attempted to catch the dog before shooting it dead.

Witnesses say that they shot the dog because they were frustrated, not because the dog was acting aggressively or attempting to bite anyone. And an interview caught on tape between the officer and the dog’s owner reveals that shooting the pit bull was not a last resort. Jeff Daniels, the dog’s owner, says that Bella had never before received a complaint or broken the law, while a written statement from a witness said that the dog was simply running away from officers, not threatening them. Finally, many in the neighborhood were upset that a handgun was used in their neighborhood – and next to two houses – something that could be more dangerous than a dog bite or dog attack.

Animal control said that a tranquilizer could not have been used since the offer lacked training for that weapon. The owner has hired a lawyer in Raleigh and is considering a lawyer in this NC pit bull case.

Fayetteville Observer: Elder Abuse Is An Issue In North Carolina

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15117 — Thu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An opinion column by Yvonne Gale in the Fayetteville Observer this month tackles a very important topic for anyone living in North Carolina: the prevalence of elder abuse and how we can work to stop it.

According to Gale, elder abuse comes in many forms, including verbal abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and financial abuse. While the majority of elder abuse takes place in private residences – and often involves family members – about 15 percent of elder abuse cases involve nursing homes, adult care facilities, or hired nurses.

Shockingly, only an estimated one in five instances of elder abuse is ever reported to authorities. Unfortunately, many victims of elder abuse suffer from dementia or do not have the ability to contact someone for help. In other cases, those suffering from elder abuse may be abused by loved ones – or may not know they are being taken advantage of at all. If you have an elder loved one, it is extremely important to keep an eye on their mental help, their physical health, and their financial health to ensure that no one is taking advantage of them.

In North Carolina, you can report elder abuse at a nursing home or long-term care facility by contacting the North Carolina Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. In addition, you can call local police and they can help you successfully report elder abuse incidents.

In addition, Gale strongly suggests that those looking to prevent elder care should make sure that loved ones have filled out the forms for a Living Will or a Health Power of Attorney – choosing someone they trust and someone that is not also elderly (such as a spouse).

Trooper Was Reportedly Traveling At 120 mph In Fatal Guilford Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32382 — Thu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to a report released on May 27, a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper was traveling at a rate of 120 mph while pursuing a speeder when he collided with a vehicle that turned into his path, resulting in two people suffering fatal personal injuries.

NCHP commander Col. Randy Glover said that an outside investigation of the incident would be conducted by the Attorney General’s Office in order to ensure that all policies and procedures had been followed.

Authorities say that Trooper J.D. Goodnight was attempting to catch a southbound Buick Skylark that was traveling at a rate of 80 mph on U.S. Highway 29/70 in Guilford County on the morning of May 23. At the time, 55-year-old Thomasville resident Sandra Allmond was traveling north in a 1995 Honda and attempted to turn left at a green light onto River Road, turning into the path of Goodnight’s vehicle.

The impact split Allmond’s vehicle apart, with the front end traveling back across the median into the northbound lanes, according to the NCHP’s preliminary crash report.

Allmond died open impact. One of three children she had in her car, 11-year-old Jamestown resident Taylor Strange, received transport to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, but was later pronounced dead. The other two children, Allmond’s grandson, 11-year-old Elijah Allmond, and 9-year-old Steven Strange, both receive hospital transport, but were released after undergoing treatment.

The report says that Allmond “failed to yield” when she entered the intersection and that Goodnight attempted to slow down and swerve to avoid the collision. It says that he was traveling at 95 mph at the time of impact.

Witnesses say that Goodnight had his blue lights on, but they did not hear a siren.

Johnston Crash Claims Angier Woman

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32383 — Thu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman from Angier suffered fatal personal injuries late on the night of May 26 when her sport utility vehicle ran off the road and collided with a tree, according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

The NCHP said that 26-year-old Rebecca Elizabeth Evans was pronounced dead at the scene. She was not wearing her seat belt.

The accident report said that Evans was westbound on Mount Pleasant Road when the 2002 Isuzu she was driving ran off the road to the left a hit a tree.

The accident took place shortly before midnight just north of Angier in Johnston County.

SSA: 2 Million People Waiting For Social Security Disability Benefits

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15116 — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

It is not news that the Social Security Administration is backlogged with disability cases – but it is news that the problem is getting worse in many states. In fact, according to the newest numbers, over two million people across the country are sick, disabled, unable to work, and waiting for their SSA disability benefit applications to be processed.

One of the reasons for the increasing backlog is the poor economy – with many disabled people losing their jobs and unable to find new work, applications go up. In fact, 3.3 million Americans are expected to apply for benefits in 2010 – a 700,000 increase in applications from 2008. All told, over 12 million people across the country receive some form of Social Security Disability benefits currently.

The SSA says that they hope to erase the backlog by 2013, included appealed cases. Two-thirds of all initial applications are denied, though the rate of success for appeals is much higher. Still, some are forced to survive two to three years in the wake of a diagnosis or accident until getting financial support – even though they are paid retroactively, keeping your life funded and your medical bills paid for years without support can prove difficult.

Another step the SSA has taken to solve the SSDI benefits backlog problem is to create a list of compassionate allowances – a list of very serious and often deadly diseases that are fast-tracked through the disability application process so that applicants can receive financial support as soon as possible.

North Carolina #6 For Commercial Truck Accidents Nationwide

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15115 — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

North Carolina officials have had some idea that their work in reducing commercial truck accidents has to improve in the future, but a new report has revealed just how large a problem tractor-trailer accidents in North Carolina is. Out of all 50 states, North Carolina ranks number six in the country for the big rig and commercial truck accidents.

Although there are many reasons that North Carolina tractor-trailer accidents take place, state officials worry that a large part of the problem is that many trucks do not follow federal trucking regulations – and that North Carolina State Troopers have difficulty catching a significant percentage of violators.

According to ABC11 reporting out of Raleigh-Durham, 9.3 million trucks stopped at North Carolina weigh stations in 2009 but less than one out of 100 were inspected. Of those that were inspected, half had safety issues, maintenance issues, or other violations and 12 percent had to be taken off of the roads immediately. These violations, such as truckers who do not take mandatory brakes, trucks that are not well-maintained, trucks that are improperly loaded, or trucks that are over the weight limit can all cause serious and even deadly NC truck crashes.

Of course, truckers argue that cars and pickup trucks are the cause of many truck accidents in North Carolina, and that many don’t know how to properly share the road. Cars that are unaware of blind spots or cars that do not realize how long it takes for trucks to brake can cause accidents just as well as trucker fatigue or truck mechanical issues.

North Carolina Man Killed By Debris At Drag Race

blog@www.brentadams.com (news Author)15114 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A North Carolina man was celebrating his birthday by attending drag races when a crash occurred on the track and he was killed car debris.

According to the Fayetteville Observer, Terry McDougald of Lillington, NC, was killed at the Harrells Raceway on Sunday night when he was struck by an engine that flew from a crashing racecar. The Sampson County Sheriff's Office said that a racecar traveling 130 miles per hour and driven by professional driver Joseph Wactor, also known as Pro Stock Joe, crashed into a guardrail after losing control. The car flew an estimated 100 feet and much of the car disintegrated as it was propelled through the air. One piece of debris struck McDougald in the audience.

Wactor suffered a number of injuries in the crash but refused medical assistance. Another person, who was also standing against the race track’s chain-linked fence also received injuries and was taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington for treatment.

Racetrack owner Eddie Yarborough shared his condolences to McDougald’s family and said that no other accidents involving spectators had ever taken place on his track in the two and a half years since he bought it. He declined further comment for insurance and legal reasons. A driver was killed at the track in 1992 in a car crash. The track is not sanctioned by the International Hot Rod Association. While the racetrack was rainy and slick on Sunday, authorities do not believe that weather was a factor in the NC car crash.

Couple Files Suit Against FedEx And Driver

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32121 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A couple has filed suit against FedEx Freight Systems and one of its employees for the personal injuries they suffered in an automobile accident.

According to the suit they filed in West Virginia’s Putnam County Circuit Court, Anthony and Elaine Musarra were pulling into the parking lot of a Go-Mart located in Hurricane, West Virginia when Roger Pauley, who was employed by FedEx and driving a tractor trailer, was exiting the parking lot.

The suit says that as Pauley was leaving, the top of the tractor-trailer hit telephone and electrical lines, pulling the lines and pokes onto the parking lot.

The Musarras say the lines wrapped around the right front tire of their vehicle, causing it to be pushed sideways, tip approximately 30 inches from the pavement, and be jerked back to the right upright position.

The suit claims that FedEx is liable for its employee’s careless, reckless, and negligent conduct.

The Musarras say they suffered injuries due to the accident and seek compensatory damages.

North Carolina Man Files Suit Over Accident In West Virginia

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32122 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from North Carolina has filed suit against Tire Centers, alleging that he was struck by one of its employees with a vehicle in West Virginia.

According to the suit Donnie L. Merritt filed in West Virginia’s Kanawha County Circuit Court on May 5, he was lawfully walking in the pedestrian walking area of a Go-Mart Truck Stop when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Richard Steven Ashworth.

Merritt alleges that the accident knocked him to the ground, causing him to sustain severe and permanent injuries.

The suit names Tire Centers, Ashworth, PHH Vehicle Management Services, PHH Vehicle Management Services Group, and Wilmington Trust Company as defendants.

Merritt seeks compensatory damages.

Woman's Suit Blames Hospital, Doctor For Son's Death

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32123 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed suit against Charleston Area Medical Center and New Century Emergency Physicians of West Virginia alleging that they were responsible for the wrongful death of her son.

The suit also names Dr. John S. Bodkin III as a defendant.

According to the suit Reba Walls filed on April 28 in West Virginia’s Kanawha County Circuit Court, the defendants deviated from the applicable standard of care and were negligent in their care of John Anthony Tyburski Jr.

Walls alleges that the defendants failed to provide her son with adequate and safe care, appreciate the physiological implications of her son’s initial complaints and symptoms, timely, properly, and adequately assess her son’s condition, properly and adequately document and/or communicate her son’s initial and on-going symptoms, ensure and provide Tyburski with appropriate and timely testing, maintain a diagnostic differential, take appropriate, timely, and necessary measures to provide Tyburski with complete treatment and/or care, and otherwise timely and adequately assess, report, treat, and/or care for her son’s emergent condition.

Walls claims that Tyburski experienced physical and mental pain and suffering, severe emotional distress, and permanent scarring and incurred medical expenses prior to his death on April 7, 2008.

Walls seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

Man Files Suit For Accident That Injured Him And His Minor Sons

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32124 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man has filed suit on behalf of himself and his two minor children for the personal injuries they suffered in a head-on collision.

According to the suit Daniel Duff filed on May 10 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court on May 10, his then 15-year-old son Tyler Duff was driving west on U.S. 40 with his father and brother, Ashton Duff, as passengers on June 13, 2008, when defendant Tammy Bloebaum, who was eastbound on U.S. 40 at the time, veered into the westbound lane and collided with their vehicle head-on shortly after 5:30 p.m.

Daniel Duff claims the collision caused him to suffer injuries to his neck, back, shoulders, chest, wrist, ribs, and left knee and a loss of income and incur medical expenses. He claims Tyler Duff suffered injuries to his left arm and wrist and Ashton Duff suffered injuries to his neck, head, and face. He claims all three experienced great pain and mental anguish and have been unable to attend to their normal life duties.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Bloebaum for failure to maintain a proper lookout, failure to see things that were clearly visible, failure to maintain proper control of her vehicle, failure to keep her vehicle on the proper side of the road, and failure to use every precaution to avoid a collision.

Daniel Duff seeks damages in excess of $200,000, plus costs, from the four-count suit.

Woman Files Suit Against Uninsured Driver, Insurance Company

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32125 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed suit against the uninsured driver who she alleges struck her vehicle, resulting in personal injuries, and her insurance company, who she says refused to pay her under her uninsured motorist protection plan.

According to the suit Cherie Lucas filed on May 10 in Illinois’ Madison County District Court, she was driving with her daughter, Alexis Lucas, as a passenger when defendant Joseph Sands attempted to turn left from the same road and collided with her vehicle.

Lucas claims the accident caused her to suffer injuries to her back and her daughter to suffer injuries to her chest. She says both experienced pain and a loss of wages and incurred medical expenses.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Sands for driving in an improper and careless manner, driving too fast, failure to maintain a proper lookout, and failure to yield the right-of-way.

Lucas says that at the time, she had automobile insurance coverage through Universal Casualty Company. She says her policy was supposed to include benefits of up to $20,000 if she was struck by an uninsured driver.

The suit claims that because Sands had no insurance, Lucas filed an uninsured motorist claim with Universal and demanded arbitration through the American Arbitration Association. She says Universal has refused to pay out the policy and/or participate in arbitration.

Lucas seeks damages in excess of $100,000 and a declaratory judgment to find Universal liable for the value of her uninsured motorist claim in her six-count suit.

Man Files Suit Against Bars After Losing Four Fingers By Riding With Allegedly Drunken Driver

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32126 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man has filed a personal injury suit alleging that he suffered a loss of four fingers on his dominant hand after riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by a driver he claims was intoxicated.

According to the suit filed on May 5 in Illinois’ Madison County Circuit Court by Michael Kovaly, he rode in a vehicle with driver Michael Mrazek after Mrazek had consumed alcoholic beverages at the Moose Lodge, Runaway Lounge, and Donzo’s Lounge.

The suit names Mrazek, The Wood River Moose Lodge doing business as the Moose Lodge, Runaway Lounge and Package Liquor, and Donzo’s Lounge as defendants.

The suit says that Mrazek’s intoxication resulted in him causing an automobile accident in which Kovaly was injured.

Kovaly claims that, in addition to the loss of his fingers, he experienced pain and suffering, disability, a loss of wages, and a loss of ability to pursue his normal activities and incurred medical expenses.

Kovaly seeks damages in excess of $150,000 from the three-count suit.

High School Custodian Claims Injuries Caused By Students Horseplaying

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32127 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A high school custodian has filed a personal injury suit against two minor students, seeking damages in excess of $800,000, alleging that the students were horse playing and slammed a door into him, causing him to suffer injuries to his shoulder and arm.

According to the suit Keith Muskopf filed in Illinois’ St. Clair County Circuit Court on May 6, he was performing his duties as an employee of Belleville West High School on May 7, 2008 when students Ehhsan Hamden and Philsamrae Escaesenas ran out of the school’s physical education locker room and slammed an athletic storage door into his right shoulder.

The suit says that Escaesenas threw a pair of pants into the hallway and chased Hamden out of the locker room before slamming the door shut.

Muskopf claims the incident caused him to suffer serious injuries to his right shoulder, right arm, neck, and beck and incur medical expenses. He also claims to have experienced great pain and mental anguish, disability, and a loss of normal life.

Muskopf’s wife, Paula Muskopf, additionally claims a loss of her husband’s services, affections, society, companionship, and consortium and a hindrance from her ability to attend to her usual business and affairs.

The Muskopf’s seek damages in excess of $800,000, plus costs, from the 24-count suit, which also names the students’ parents, Nasser and Nadia Hamden and Marites and Rodolpho Escaesenas, as defendants.

Worker Files Suit Over Injuries In Gas Blast

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32129 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An employee of Innovative Wellsite Systems has filed a personal injury suit, alleging that as he was performing maintenance on a well head, the well “blew in” causing a blast of gas that sent him hurtling through the air.

According to the suit James Reynolds filed on May 12 in the Marshall Division of the Eastern District of Texas, the incident caused him disabling and permanent injuries. He is seeking damages of at least $1 million from Chesapeake Energy Corp. the owner and operator of the well.

Reynolds is an employee of Innovative Wellsite Systems, a company that specializes in the installation and maintenance of well heads that are used in the production of oil and gas. Reynolds says that he was dispatched to DeSoto Parish, Louisiana to change out the lock pins on a park of the well head.

Reynolds says that upon his arrival, he was informed that the well head was under extremely high pressure. He claims he told the defendant’s representative that steps should be taken to lower the gas pressure on the well head, but the representative would not comply and told him to proceed with the job.

According to the suit, the well “blew in” as Reynolds was attempting to complete the job. One person at the well site suffered fatal injuries and several others, including Reynolds, sustained serious injuries.

Reynolds alleges negligence on the part of the defendant for failure to take steps in order to control the gas pressure.

Reynolds seeks damages in excess of $1 million for lost wages, lost earning capacity, physical pain and mental anguish, permanent impairment, medical costs, interests, and court costs.

Reynolds also seeks punitive damages against the defendant, alleging that the defendant’s conduct was reckless and demonstrated a total disregard for others’ well being.

Woman Files Suit Against Driver Who Collided With School Bus Her Daughter Was Riding

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32130 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A woman has filed suit against a driver she alleges collided with a school bus, causing her minor child to sustain personal injuries.

According to the suit Olga Castillo filed on May 6 in Texas’ Jefferson County District Court, her daughter, Salma Castillo, was riding in a Beaumont Independent School District bus that stopped because of traffic on May 9, 2008.

Castillo claims Leon B. Williams suddenly collided with the bus in a vehicle driven for defendants Gelco Corp. and PPG Industries due to a failure to control his speed.

Castillo claims her daughter suffered permanent bodily injuries, lost earning capacity, incurred medical expenses, and experienced physical pain and mental anguish.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Williams for failure to maintain a proper lookout, driving too fast, failure to turn in order to avoid a collision, failure to apply his brakes in a timely manner, and failure to maintain proper control of his vehicle.

Castillo seeks damages within the minimum jurisdictional limits of Jefferson County District Court.

Family Claims Doctor Punctured Woman's Lung During Surgery

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32131 — Mon, 24 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The surviving spouse and child of a deceased woman have filed suit, alleging that her death was due to the personal injury of having her lung punctured during surgery.

According to the suit James Martin and Connie Clause filed against Dr. Mohammed Islam in Texas’ Jefferson County District Court on May 6, Dorothy Martin was admitted to Promise Specialty Hospital of Southeast Texas on February 20, 2008. During her stay, she underwent a surgical procedure conducted by Dr. Islam to insert a right subclavian venous central line.

The suit says that sometime during the procedure, Dr. Islam punctured Dorothy Martin’s lung, resulting in her condition deteriorating. The suit says she was discharged from the hospital on March 5, 2008 and died two weeks later, on March 19, 2008, due to complications arising from the iatrogenic injury.

The suit claims that prior to her death, Dorothy Martin incurred medical expenses, experienced physical pain, mental anguish and suffering, and physical impairment. Additionally, James Martin and Connie Clause incurred funeral and burial costs and lost Dorothy Martin’s care, maintenance, support, services, advice, counsel, contributions, companionship, society and inheritance and experienced mental anguish.

The suit alleges negligence on the part of Dr. Islam for failure to provide proper care and treatment, failure to properly perform the elective procedure, failure to provide proper follow-up care, failure to provide proper post-surgical care, failure to use reasonable care , failure to treat Dorothy Martin’s symptoms after the unsuccessful operation, failure to thoroughly examine her in spite of repeated complaints, and failure to properly diagnose the post-surgical complications.

James Martin and Connie Clause seek damages within Jefferson County’s jurisdictional limits.

Fatal Accident Near Zebulon

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32059 — Sun, 23 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Fatal Accident Near Zebulon

Two tractor-trailers were involved in an accident on May 13 that claimed the life of one of the drivers.

The accident occurred on Highway 64 near Zebulon.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol James Clinton, 30 of Greensboro was traveling east on Highway 64 when he stopped in the right lane. Clinton was rear ended by the other tractor-trailer.

The other driver, whose name was not listed was killed instantly.

Clinton, a driver for J.B. Hunt Inc. out of Lowell, Arizona was transported to WakeMed. The deceased drove for Preferred Transport & Distribution Inc., out of Austell, Georgia.

Accident Involves Train and Tractor Trailer

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32060 — Sun, 23 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Accident Involves Train and Tractor Trailer

Thirteen people were injured in an accident involving an Amtrack train and a tractor trailer in Mebane.
Train service from Charlotte to New York was interrupted.

The injured were transported to UNC Hospital, Duke University Hospital and Alamance Regional Medical Center.

According to the police the tractor trailer was carrying heavy construction equipment. The tractor trailer was making a turn when it it got stuck on the tracks. A westbound train, number 73, carrying 36 passengers struck the truck.

The train and three coach cars derailed catching fire.

Diesel fuel from the train burst and began to blaze. A witness said it sounded like an explosion. It was said that debris began to fly off of the train onto vehicles.

The driver of the tractor trailer made it out of the truck before the collision. According to the driver, the tractor trailer had an equipment problem.

The accident was being investigated.

Fayetteville Police Officer Injured In Collision

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32035 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

On the morning of May 21, a Fayetteville police officer suffered personal injuries when a sport utility vehicle struck his patrol car in the College Lakes neighborhood.

Police say Officer Michael Boone sustained a broken collarbone in the collision, which took place at about 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Saddle Ridge Drive and Shoreline Road.

According to police, Boone was in the process of responding to a call concerning a domestic dispute involving Malcolm Leon Savage. Police say that Boone had stopped at an intersection when Savage veered his Ford Explorer into the cruiser and knocked it off the road and into a yard.

Boone was pinned inside the vehicle and called 911 as Savage fled, police said. Responding officers apprehended Savage after locating him with tracking dogs.

Members of the Fayetteville Fire Department extricated Boone from the patrol vehicle.

Boone and Savage each received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where they each underwent treatment for minor injuries.

Police charged Savage with assault on a female, carless and reckless driving, and failure to reduce speed.

Police Say Driver In Cary Crash Admits To Drug And Alcohol Use

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)32036 — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

A man from Cary police say fled the scene of a single-vehicle crash in which personal injuries were suffered on May 20 admitted to investigators that he had consumed alcohol and marijuana prior to the crash, according to a search warrant released on May 21.

The warrant said that 19-year-old Daryl Torres waived his rights and told informed police that he was the vehicle’s driver. He was discovered walking about a block away from the site of the crash and had glass shards in his hair and clothing, according to the warrant. Police filed the warrant in order to obtain a blood sample from Torres.

Police charged Torres with felony hit and run and felony possession of a stolen vehicle in connection with the accident, which took place at the intersection of SW Maynard Road and Tanglewood Drive shortly before 4 a.m.

Police say Torres was driving a 2002 Mitsubishi Montero on SW Maynard Road in the direction of Walnut Street when he lost control of the car, which had been reported stolen earlier by the Apex police department.

Investigators say the vehicle overturned multiple times.

A passenger in the vehicle, 17-year-old Apex resident Ja-Lyn Braen Hunt was ejected from the vehicle and received transport to WakeMed in Raleigh with injuries considered to be life-threatening.

North Carolina Receives "C" On Workers' Compensation Report Card

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)31833 — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

How does North Carolina’s workers’ compensation system stack up to similar workers’ comp departments across the country? According to a new report released by the Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI), North Carolina workers’ comp is solidly average, with a number of states fairing better and a number of states fairing worse.

As written in the 2010 State Report Cards for Workers’ Comp document, which collects seven years worth of data between 2000 and 2007, North Carolina is a tear three state that receives a “C” when it comes to workers’ compensation. The report cards are based on information collected and analyzed from OSHA recordable injuries and illnesses forms and focuses on five outcome measurements:

Incidence Rates
Cases Missing Work
Median Disability Durations
Delayed Recovery Rate
Key Condition: Low Back Strain

North Carolina's workers' comp system did very well in the median disability duration measurement, with an average response time of seven days.

Driver Killed, Baby Survives In Rougemont Crash

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)31948 — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The driver who suffered fatal personal injuries in a two-vehicle crash early on the morning of May 19 has been identified by the North Carolina Highway Patrol as 28-year-old Rougemont resident Ann Marie Thrash. Her 11-month-old daughter survived the accident.

Thrash died in an accident shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Guess Road near the intersection of New Sharon Church Road.

Thrash’s daughter, who was properly restrained in a car seat, received transport to Duke Hospital as a precaution. However, investigating trooper Joseph Sharlow said she only seemed to have suffered minor scratches.

Sharlow said that Thrash was southbound on Guess Road when she ran off the road to the right after coming out of a curve, overcorrected, ran off the road to the left, jerked back to the right, and lost control of the vehicle, which came to rest sideways in the road.

A second vehicle, which was northbound, struck Thrash’s driver’s side door. The driver, 34-year-old Hurdle Mills resident Michael Stone, received transport to Duke Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Sharlow.

Man Struck On Hope Mills Road While Inspecting Damage From Prior Accident

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)31949 — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

According to police, a man suffered personal injuries on Hope Mills Road on the morning of May 20 after he exited his car in order to check damage from a collision that occurred moments prior.

The accident was reported around 11:30 a.m.

According to Fayetteville police spokesman Dan Grubb, 46-year-old Hope Mills resident Reinaldo Maldonado was struck in the leg while inspecting the damage to his vehicle.

Grubb said that Maldonado received transport to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he underwent treatment for a minor injury.

13 Injured In Amtrak Crash Between Charlotte And Raleigh

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)31832 — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

An Amtrak commuter train traveling between Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, derailed last week, resulting in 13 injured passengers and an NC train accident investigation.

The North Carolina owned train struck a crossing last Thursday morning in the town of Mebane, North Carolina, though it is not yet clear what caused the train accident to take place. Witnesses who were at the scene of the Mebane train wreck said that the train crossing gates were working properly and flashing at the time of the NC train accident. A spokeswoman for the N.C. Rail Division said that the accident is under investigation.

The 13 passengers received minor injuries, some of which were treated at the scene and some of which were treated at local North Carolina hospitals. As of Wednesday, train passengers were being bussed around the accident scene and rail service in the area was still disrupted.

Proctorville Mayor Killed In Robeson County Collision

brent@brentadams.com (blog Author)31872 — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported on May 19 that the mayor of Proctorville suffered fatal personal injuries in a crash in Robeson County on the night of May 18.

According to the accident report filed by Trooper J.S. Ransom, 70-year-old Horace Biggs Johnson died in a two-vehicle collision that took place shortly before 7 p.m.

Election officials say that Johnson was re-elected as mayor of Proctorville, which is a small town of about 130 residents, in 2009.

The report said that Johnson was northbound on Broadridge Road, approximately three miles from Proctorville, when he ran a stop sign, resulting in a collision.

The report said that Johnson was ejected from the vehicle.