Blog - Statesville

Three Teens Ejected from a Vehicle

February 29, 2016 By Avon Alexander

On Tuesday night, February 9, three teens were ejected from a vehicle in Davidson County.

According to the North Carolina Highway Patrol, the incident happened shortly after 10 p.m. on Welcome Bethesda Road at the intersection of Calvin Sowers Road and Calvin Sowers Lane. Christopher Douglas, aged 18, hit a mailbox when driving a Ford Explorer and drove off but the homeowner followed him. Douglas increased speed but the mail box had punctured his tires and the car flipped several times.

In the car were Douglas and two other teens, a 16 year old male and 16 year old female and they were all ejected. Douglas and the female passenger were critically injured and the male passenger had minor injuries.

Police say alcohol doesn’t appear to have been a factor, and none of the teens were wearing seat belts. So far there are no charges against the driver but that situation may change. The two passengers have each been charged with not wearing a seat belt.

If you or someone you love has been have been seriously injured in an accident, please call the Statesville accident attorneys of the McIntosh Law Firm at (855) 960-5515 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation.

Filed Under: Auto Accident

How Many Pedestrians Were Killed

January 30, 2016 By Avon Alexander

According to the NHTSA in 2013, 4,735 pedestrians were killed when they were hit by a vehicle which is more than 12 people every day. In addition there were 66,000 pedestrians injured and there could be more as not all are reported to the police.

The numbers of deaths to pedestrians have stayed more or less static over the last decade with a small decrease of 3.4%, and the number of reported injuries to pedestrians has decreased somewhat more over the decade by 15.4%.

There is obviously a risk associated with walking but it is still a healthy and relatively safe activity. It is known that if a person is inactive they are much more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke with around 65,000 people dying each year due to lack of exercise and a poor diet.

Pedestrians should always make sure they can be seen with light or reflective clothing and use the sidewalk rather than the roadway. Never try and cross a busy road or interstate, especially at night.

Filed Under: Pedestrian accident

School Bus Crash Sends One to Hospital

December 31, 2015 By Avon Alexander

On Friday, December 4, a school bus crash sent a student to the hospital in Davidson County.

According to authorities, the crash happened when the bus, which had 42 students on board, was on its way to Wallburg Elementary School at 7:30 a.m. The bus driver, 37 year old Amy Parker was trying to make a left turn onto Horneytown Road from Westover Drive but she did not yield to a Dodge Charger which was traveling south on Horneytown Road.

The bus and truck collided, causing minor damages to both vehicles.

None of the five people in the Dodge Charger were injured in the crash but one student suffered minor injuries and her mother arrived and took her to the hospital.

Another three children were collected at the scene by their parents and the rest continued onto school in another bus.

The bus driver, Parker was cited for failure to yield.

Filed Under: Bus accident

How to Drive After Heavy Rain

November 30, 2015 By Avon Alexander

If there has been heavy rain it is very likely that part of the road will be flooded. If you can see that there is water on the road you should drive both slowly and with caution. If the water is moving and you cannot see the ground you should not drive through it or you may be swept off the road. If the water appears to be deep, reaching the bottom of the vehicle doors then do not attempt to drive through it as you can ruin any electrics or electronics in the vehicle, which are very expensive to repair.

If you are driving though water at night it is very hard to see the water and how deep it is. Keep an eye on the buildings, fences, trees and hedges at the side of the road and if they seem lower than usual then the road is probably flooded. If you hit flood water at speed it is almost the same as hitting a wall and you will probably lose control and the vehicle will stop and may cause injuries.

If you have to drive through water, go slowly and try not to make waves. In a manual vehicle, put the car in first gear and engage the clutch so that you have more acceleration than normal to keep the exhaust gases up and stop water coming into the tailpipe. If the vehicle is automatic select first gear as well and brake and accelerate at the same time for the same reason.

Filed Under: Driver safety

Dozens of High School Students Were Injured

October 31, 2015 By Avon Alexander

On Saturday afternoon, October 3, dozens of high school students were injured when a truck carrying band equipment crashed in to a supporting pier of a canopy at North Iredell High School.

According to the authorities, the incident happened at approximately 2.30 p.m. while several students, waiting to take part in a band competition, had gathered underneath the canopy sheltering from the rain. The large truck struck the supporting pier causing the concrete roof to crumble and fall on the students assembled underneath injuring dozens. Approximately 18 students required hospital treatment for a wide range of injuries including broken bones and one girl had to have her leg amputated below the knee. Many suffered minor injuries and many more were left traumatized by what they saw.

A similar canopy on the South side of the school has also been inspected to ensure this is safe. Forensic engineer Tyler Black examined the canopy and debris in order to gain a better understanding of exactly how the impact by the truck affected the supporting beam.

Filed Under: Personal Injury

Two Women Die in a Six Vehicle Pile up

September 30, 2015 By Avon Alexander

On Friday, September 18, two women were killed in a six vehicle pileup.

According to authorities, the accident occurred around 7.45 p.m. on the I-40 Highway at the 123 mile marker. Lizzie Williams aged 89 and Joeann Dover, 67 were tragically killed when the Chrysler vehicle they were travelling in clipped Andy Grant’s minivan causing their vehicle to cross the median where it was hit in the side by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. Highway Patrol Trooper Kenny Evans who was first on the scene, found six vehicles involved in two separate wrecks.

Although Grant was pushed onto the median by the Chrysler, he managed to stop his van in the middle of the grass area and was fortunate enough not sustain any injuries. Williams and Dover were passengers in the rear of the Chrysler and were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The front seat passengers were taken to Frye Regional Medical Center, as was the driver of the vehicle that struck them. It is believed all the occupants of the Chrysler were from the Lawndale area. The cause of the incident is still unknown and under investigation.

Filed Under: Auto Accident

Deck Collapsed Injuring Nine

August 26, 2015 By Avon Alexander

On August 6, around 8 in the evening, in a rented home on Ocean Drive, Emerald Isle, a deck collapsed sending nine members of a family crashing to the floor.

The family was visiting from Davidson and Greenville N.C. and were enjoying ice cream on the deck of the house when they heard it creak and then seconds later it collapsed. Neighbors who shared the duplex called 911.

One woman, the 61 year old grandmother had a broken foot and others were treated for scrapes, bumps and bruises.

This is the second property which is rented out by Bluewater Realty which has had a deck collapse, the previous one being just four miles away which collapsed on the July 4 weekend injuring more than 20 people. In that case the cause of the collapse was corroded nails. This reason for this latest collapse is still being investigated.

Filed Under: Personal Injury

Two Teenagers Died in Car Crash

August 11, 2015 By Avon Alexander

On Friday, July 17, two teenagers died following a car crash on the interstate 85 in Lexington.
According to Lexington Police the crash happened just after 9 p.m. at the intersection of Business 85 South and NC Highway 52 (Winston Road) in Lexington. There was a crash between a car and a tractor trailer although the exact details are not known.

The driver of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic car was 42 year old Dawn Bruff and she was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Also in the car was her daughter, 15 year old Alexis Reep of Lexington and her 15 year old boyfriend Dakota Mills of Davidson County. They both died at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

The driver of the truck was 39 year old Pernell Pope of Waverly in Pennsylvania and he was uninjured.

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the fatal crash.

Filed Under: Auto Accident

Accidents Caused by Distracted Drivers

April 28, 2015 By Altrumedia

Texting is now a more common cause of auto accidents than drunk driving. North Carolina has a ban on texting while driving, and it is a primary offense, meaning that a driver can be pulled over for texting. Of course, texting is just one of many distractions that can lead to an accident. If you believe that a distracted driver caused your accident, our Statesville attorneys can help.

Common Distractions

Although texting and other device use are the most dangerous distractions because they take your eyes off the road for extended periods of time, anything that takes your eyes or mind off of the task of driving can be deadly. Many common distractions do not even involve technology. Example of driver distractions include:

Texting
Watching videos
Surfing the internet
Talking on cell phones, even hands-free
Taking selfies
Adjusting the stereo
Talking to passengers
Tending to children
Eating and drinking
Personal grooming
Reaching for objects on the floorboard or in the backseat
Rubbernecking
Daydreaming

Proving Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can be difficult to prove. There is no blood or breath test to use as evidence. However, our skilled Statesville accident attorneys have the knowledge and experience to gather the evidence necessary to support your case, such as:

Witness statements
Cell phone records
Surveillance footage
Images from red light cameras
Images or video taken by witnesses
Images or video posted to social media, sometime by the defendant

If you or someone you love has been have been seriously injured in an accident that and you know or suspect that a distracted driver was involved, please call the Statesville accident attorneys of the McIntosh Law Firm at (855) 960-5515 or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation.

Filed Under: Auto Accident, Personal Injury

Three Teens Ejected from a Vehicle

How Many Pedestrians Were Killed

School Bus Crash Sends One to Hospital

How to Drive After Heavy Rain

Dozens of High School Students Were Injured

Two Women Die in a Six Vehicle Pile up

Deck Collapsed Injuring Nine

Two Teenagers Died in Car Crash

Accidents Caused by Distracted Drivers

Common Distractions

Proving Distracted Driving

Do I Have A Case?

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Three Teens Ejected from a Vehicle