Nov 3, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Emergency crews worked to clear the scene of a violent crash involving two vehicles in front of South Mecklenburg High School in south Charlotte Friday morning.
The crash occurred around 11:00 a.m. on Park Road near Arbor Pointe Drive after a black car collided with a red SUV at the intersection.
The collision caused the black car to overturn.
According to officials, the driver and passenger in the red SUV were placed onto stretchers and transported to a nearby hospital.
Traffic was temporarily diverted, and all southbound traffic on Park Road was backed up for several hours.
It is still unclear what caused the crash.
Despite all of the advantages that come along with the degree of mobility provided by motor vehicle travel, there are some serious saftey-related drawbacks that all drivers should be aware of. In fact, injuries resulting from motor vehicle travel are the leading cause of death for age 4 and every age 11 through 27. There’s limitless value to practicing extra caution while on the road. If you or a loved one is facing the unthinkable, call the Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Nov 3, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
A woman driver was seriously injured after a crash involving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 77 Saturday afternoon.
The crash happened at approximately 1:45 p.m. on I-77 near Exit 30 in Davidson when the womans car ran into the rear of a nearly stopped tractor-trailer.
Davidson and Cornelius firefighters had to cut the woman out of her car.
Emergency crews shut down both lanes of the highway while a helicopter landed to evacuate the woman and fly her to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.
The southbound lane was re-opened around 2:20 p.m. while the northbound lane remained closed for a while afterward. At 5 p.m., the North Carolina Department of Transportation reported all lanes were open, but traffic remained slow up to at least 5:30 p.m.
Stop-and-go traffic on interstate highways creates a particularly dangerous driving environment that demands drivers to pay extra attention to what is happening around them, and especially in front of them. If you or loved one becomes involved in a serious accident, you need to speak with trusted attorneys that can get you on a successful path to recovery. Call the Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Nov 3, 2012 | Car Accidents, Premises Liability, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
Lake Norman authorities are encouraging drivers to keep an eye out for deer near the roads and highways since the deer population is on the rise and the chances of hitting deer while driving have increased.
North Carolina Wildlife representatives say this season in particular could be one of the worst yet and they expect crashes to increase between now and December.
The damage facing drivers ranges from having a fatality to a minor bump on the vehicle; however severe the damage may be, there’s reason enough to exercise extra caution. Reps also recommend purchasing deer whistles that produce sounds deer can hear that scare them off the roadway.
Experts caution that rashes are most common between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. They aslo caution that it is better to hit the deer if you cannot avoid it rather than losing control of your car and causing a larger accident.
Each year in North Carolina, there are roughly 17,000 deer related crashes. Since 2007, more than three thousand people were injured and 17 killed in the state. Of the 100 counties in North Carolina, Mecklenburg ranks ninth for deer related crashes. It’s more imporant than ever, therefore, for drivers to be aware of what is happening around them. If you or a loved one is injured or involved in a serious accident, call the Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Nov 3, 2012 | Car Accidents, Pedestrian Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
Charlotte Mecklenburg Police are investigating a fatal crash that claimed the life of a well-known Charlotte homeless man.
The 58-year-old man, nicknamed “Chilly Willy,” was struck by a 2009 Hyundai Sonata on the 1900 block of East 7th Street at around 9 p.m. Thursday evening.
The man apparently walked out into the roadway from the south side when he was struck by an oncoming car.
The 65-year-old woman driving the car is not currently facing any charges.
Once authorities have filed a report, the Charlotte Department of Transportation will will begin an investigation of the crash. Moreover, safety engineers are gathering crash data for the 1900 block of 7th Street where the crash occurred.
Studies by the NHTSA in 2010 reveal that 4,280 pedestrians were killed and an estimated 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the U.S. On average, a pedestrian was killed every 2 hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic collisions. All road users are expected to share the road, pedestrians and drivers alike. Despite your best efforts, if you or a loved one is still involved in a serious accident, call the Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll-free.
Nov 2, 2012 | DUI & DWI, Uncategorized
There is a new law in South Carolinaregarding driving under the influence charges. S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-1900 states that “a vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within the lane and shall not be moved from the lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.”
In State v. Vinson, Mr. Vinson contended that the circuit court erred in denying his motion to dismiss because the police did not have “reasonable articulable suspicion” to justify the traffic stop. State v. Vinson, No. 5044. The police stated that they saw the man veer back and forth from the traffic lines, which along with some other factors justified the stop. Id. Vinson contends the stop was in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights because, as he states, the officer did not have probable cause based on reasonable articulable suspicion to arrest him. Id.
As stated in State v. Butler, “as a general matter, the decision to stop an automobile is reasonable where the police have probable cause to believe that a traffic violation has occurred. The police, however, may also stop and briefly detain a vehicle if they have a reasonable articulable suspicion that the occupants are involved in criminal activity.” State v. Butler, 343 S.C. 198, 202 (2000). Therefore, in South Carolina, courts look at the reasonableness of the officers’ stop, which is determined by the totality of the circumstances. Id. The totality of the circumstances approach is utilized by analyzing the circumstances surrounding the actual stop to ascertain whether the stop of a vehicle was reasonable and justified by “reasonable suspicion.” Id. One of the factors to be determined is whether the vehicle has swerved across the painted lines in the road.
For the Vinson case, the officer determined that in his experience, statistics, the absence of any other traffic on the road, the day of the week, the time of night; coupled with the fact that the driver was crossing over the lines on the road, meant the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, drivers in South Carolina must be wary of S.C. Code Ann. §56-5-1900, because they can be pulled over by the police if the police determine that they have crossed over the white or yellow lines on the road. No more suspicion is necessary because this statute makes crossing “unsafely” over the lanes a violation.
If you or a loved one has been issued a DUI as a result of this statute, contact the Law Offices of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower. We are equipped to handle any kind of DUI case in South Carolina. You can contact our Baxter Village, South Carolina office at 803-548-4444 or contact us toll-free at 877-374-5999.
Nov 2, 2012 | Car Accidents, Child Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Two teens were riding a moped last Thursday in Oconee County, near Seneca when they collided with a pick-up truck at around 10:30 p.m. One of the 17-year-old riders died at the scene; the other was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour or so later. Neither teen was wearing their helmets.
Driving on the roads at night can be very dangerous; this fact is especially true for motorcyclists and moped drivers who are especially vulnerable to injury or death on the road. So it’s important that motorists stay aware of motorcycles, bikers, and moped riders; and, riders stay visible to other drivers as well. If you are involved in a serious accident, take a critical step on your path to recovery by calling the Car Accident Attorneys of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower at 803-548-4444 or 877-374-5999 toll-free. An experienced professional is always available to take your call.
