Apr 3, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, Pedestrian Accidents, Uncategorized
A Rock Hill policeman has been hit by a car driven by fleeing felons last Tuesday evening in an attempt to capture the two shoplifters.
According to the reports, the officer was called onto the scene around 5:30 Tuesday evening, where there was a report of two young women trying to steal clothing from the local Kohl’s on Meeting Boulevard.
When the policeman arrived, he was met by the store’s loss prevention manager, who restated the following in regards to the event: ” while watching them on camera, the Kohl’s employee noticed that the two women carried in large, yet empty purses.
The employee continued to watch the 20 and 21 year old women as they loaded their arms up with clothing and took it into the dressing rooms, the report states.
Curious and suspicious of this activity, the Kohl’s employee walked into the adjacent dressing room to investigate. She stated that she heard the two women ripping the price tags off as they were both frantically shoving differnet items into their purses.
The ladies waited about 10 minutes, then walked out of the dressing roomswith their purses filled to the brim. The employee contacted the loss prevention manager, who then went into the dressing room to investigate for herself. There she found price tags on the floor and a room full of empty hangers.
It was at that point the manager made the decision to contact the police officer. The officer was nearby and arrived on the scene before the women had a chance to escape. He walked out of the store, identified himself, and asked the women to stop. They refused and jumped into 2009 Toyota Corolla in an attempt to make off with the stolen merchandise.
The officer then approached the driver’s side door and ordered the driver and her passenger to exit the vehicle. Meanwhile, he was holding onto the door handle, the report states. This physical contact did not hault the driver one bit, and she began to driver away with the officer still holding onto the door handle. In fact, his grasp was so tight that the handle broke off of the vehicle as the friction caused the officer to spin around to where the back of the women’s car struck the officer.
The driver drove through the parking lot with total disregard for safety of other drivers and pedestrains alike. The officer did suffer minor injuries, but has since been released and in fine to continue his duty on the workforce.
The two women were discovered at the Stone Haven Pointe apartment complex when the police found their vehicle parked at the complex. The women were subsequently arrested.
The driver has since been charged with shoplifting, failure to identify [herself] and reckless driving. The co-conspirator/passenger was charged with shoplifting and failure to identify.
Luckily, the officer’s injuires were considered minor, and the stolen merchandise has been returned to the Kohl’s it was taken from.
Sometimes people make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are accidental. In the event you, or someone you know is being charged with a crime, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower to speak to an expirenced criminal defense attorney today. With our former prosecutor, J. Tyler Burns on your side, he will use his knowledge and skill learned from the other side to diligently argue your case for you. We can be reached at 803-548-4444 or toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Apr 2, 2013 | Motorcycle Accidents, Uncategorized
A 62-year-old man was killed after being struck by a car while he was attempting to avoid a wreck. The man died at Trident Hospital in Berkeley County, South Carolina. According to the Berkeley County Coroner, a group of motorcycles were traveling north on U.S. 17A in Goose Creek, when in an attempt to avoid the collision, the man fell from his bike, and was run over by a sedan traveling in the same direction.
While there was no evidence of negligence in this particular accident, most often motorcycle accidents are the fault of a driver of the car that strikes the motorcyclist. Further, motorcycle accidents almost always result in serious medical bills for the rider due to the fact that there is no protection on the bike itself, and when struck, it is usually the rider of the bike who is hit dead-on.
The medical bills for motorcycle accidents are almost always in the hundreds of thousands. There is almost always a helicopter flight involved, which costs upwards of $25,000, and an extended stay in the hospital can cost tens of thousands of dollars a week. This is why it is so imperative for the rider to have proper insurance coverage to ensure that none of these expenses come out of the rider’s pocket. It is very important for riders to discuss raising his or her coverage to prepare for such an injury.
If you have questions, or if you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. We have motorcyclists in our office, and we understand the pressures associated with a motorcycle injury. For a consultation, give us a call at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999. We are here to assist you.
Apr 2, 2013 | Uncategorized, Workers' Compensation
One man has died, and two have been injured in a York County, South Carolina paper plant accident which occurred around 1:30 a.m. last Tuesday at the Resolute Forest Products plant in Catawba. The men were doing maintenance on an old decommissioned tank outside of the main production area.
Investigators think that a chemical leaked into a tank that the men were working on. Two of the men were barely able to escape, and the third man died in the tank. One of the injured men were taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. A further investigation will take place with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and York County will assist with the investigation.
This is not the first time the paper mill has experienced an accident as a result of a chemical leak. Last May, one man was seriously burned, and three others were injured in a chemical leak. Resolute Forest Products employs about 700 people and makes commercial printing papers and market pulp.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a work-related accident, make sure that your employer is compensating you sufficiently. For a consultation, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.
Apr 2, 2013 | Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A 59-year-old South Carolina man was tending to his broken down pick-up truck on the side of an Aiken County highway, when a drunk driver lost control of his car and skidded off the road, slamming into the pick-up truck. The pick-up truck was forced into the man who was checking under the hood, and he later died from his injuries.
The 21-year-old driver was charged with Felony DUI, and if convicted, he could face up to $25,000 in fines and up to 25 years in prison. This accident is an example of what can happen if someone gets behind the wheel of a car after consuming too much alcohol. The result is the wrongful death of an innocent South Carolina citizen.
In South Carolina, wrongful death occurs when as a result of negligence, or misconduct (such as DUI) of another person. A wrongful death can be caused by a car wreck, a workplace accident, defective product, or medical malpractice. South Carolina has a wrongful death statute that allows the family of a person killed to seek contribution for their loved one’s death from the careless people who caused it.
This law can get complicated, and this is why it is so important to seek competent attorneys who are experienced in the realm of the South Carolina Wrongful Death Statute. If you have lost a loved one as a result of the negligence or misconduct of another driver, call the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP for a consultation. You can call our Baxter Village office located in Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-374-4444, or 877-548-5999.
Apr 2, 2013 | DUI & DWI, Felony DUI, Uncategorized
A 25-year-old man was killed in a two-vehicle crash on the 200 block of Sunset Boulevard in West Columbia. The man, who was from Hattiesburg was a passenger in a vehicle which crashed into another vehicle around 11:30 p.m. The man died from his injuries at Lexington Medical Center. The 24-year-old driver was charged with Felony DUI, and investigation of the wreck will continue.
In South Carolina, Felony DUI requires the person who is being charged to have (1) operated a vehicle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both; (2) did something else against the law, such as failing to stay in lane, or acted negligently; and (3) proximately causes great bodily injury or death to a person other than himself, including passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists.
If you or a loved one has been charged with Felony DUI, and there is any question as to whether one or more than one of these things is not present, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. You can reach us at our Baxter Village office located in beautiful Fort Mill, South Carolina at 803-548-4444, or toll free at 877-374-5999.
Apr 1, 2013 | Motorcycle Accidents, Uncategorized
Across the nation, the rate of fatal motorcycle accidents has increased over the past decade at a rate of about 150% from those recorded in 2000. In 2010, about 5200 riders were killed with about 100,000 being injured.
In the state of South Carolina, deaths from motorcycle accidents increased from less than 100 in 2003 to over 150 in 2010. Further, in North Carolina, motorcycle deaths have gone from about 100 in 2003 to over 200 in 2010.
The fact is that motorcycle deaths are more common than automobile deaths due to the fact that they are simply not protected while driving on the roadways. When a car strikes another car, the impact effects the body of the car, and not the driver. However, when something strikes a motorcycle, more often than not, the motorcyclist is hit; not just the motorcycle. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration illustrates that about 70 percent of motorcycle accidents are the result of another vehicle not being able to see the motorcycle. And also speeding, aggressive driving, and inattention at the wheel are other leading factors.
Therefore, if you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in injury or death, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower, LLP. For a consultation, contact us at 803-548-4444, or toll-free at 877-374-5999. We have riders in our office, and we greatly look forward to assisting you with your legal issue.
