Carolina Accident Attorney Blog

Accident Involving Red Light Runner Leaves Three People Seriously Injured

Three Injured After a Car Crashed Into a Havelock, North Carolina Restaurant

The car accident that sent three people to the hospital in Havelock, North Carolina (NC) is hard for most of us to imagine. You wouldn’t expect a car to come crashing through the side of a restaurant, but that is just what happened at the Bayside establishment located on Highway 70.

It was around 4 a.m. and ten people were inside the 24-hour restaurant including the owner, John Adams, and his son. Suddenly a Ford Escort, driven by Donnovan Yates from Newport, came crashing through the restaurant. Three people were injured in the crash including the driver and John Adam’s son. All three were taken to the Carolinas Medical Center.

The truly shocking part, Havelock police say Donnovan Yates crashed his Ford Escort into the Bayside restaurant on purpose. According to the police report, Yates was upset over a girl he was seeing and crashed the car into the restaurant to get her attention. Yates believed she was inside the restaurant talking to another man.

However, the girl was not inside the Bayside and instead Yates now faces charges including; assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless endangerment and injury to property.

All three people injured in the car accident are expected to make a full recovery but the Bayside restaurant has been closed.  John Adams told reporters he was not sure when the restaurant could be reopened due to the scope of damages the building received.

Sadly, Adams not only has to deal with the injuries his son sustained and the associated medical bills, but lost wages from the restaurant closure and costly repairs as well. Property damage in an accident can be extremely costly and insurance does not always cover the full scope of repairs. A personal injury attorney with experience in handling accident cases, like the Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton law firm, would be able to help speed the reopening process and help the Adams family with their medical bills and pain and suffering.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law. Our law firm has offices in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys have handled thousands of automobile negligence cases involving cars, trucks, trains, and motorcycles. We would be pleased to send you one of our FREE reports about car accident cases, including our special report on distracted driving or our Best Guide to Car Accident Injuries in North Carolina. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, VA, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube .  In addition, our lawyers proudly edit the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard, as well as the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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Wrong Way Driver Causes Fatality in a Car Accident on a Highway in Hickory, North Carolina

A car accident on Highway 321 in Hickory, North Carolina (NC) led to one fatality, two serious injuries, and a highway closure.

Witnesses say an elderly couple driving a white sedan were traveling north on the southbound lanes of Highway 321. The driver of the white sedan was traveling in two lanes and hit a truck head on.

The driver of the truck who was struck, Howard Helton’s wife was also on Highway 321 and witnessed the accident. She was able to contact emergency crews to respond. Howard Helton and the driver of the white sedan were taken to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina (NC) where they are both being treated for injuries caused in the car accident. Sadly, the passenger of the white sedan, an elderly woman, died on impact.

The North Carolina Highway patrols shut off parts of Highway 321 and have conducted an investigation of the crash scene. They were able to verify witness statements that the driver of the white sedan was driving the wrong way at the time of the car accident, but they are not sure at what point the driver entered Highway 321 or why he was traveling in the wrong direction.

Driver’s going the wrong way are more common then you might think, especially on highways. Drivers can confuse the off ramp for the on ramp when entering the highway and travel for along periods of time before they are able to correct themselves. If you see headlights coming in the wrong direction it is best to pull over to the side of the road. Trying to swerve around the oncoming car may panic you or the other driver and cause an accident.

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Drunk Driver Plunges Down the Linville Gorge With His Daughters Inside

Truck-Bus Crash Injured Six Young Children in Charlotte, NC

Faison, North Carolina Man Critically Injured in Accident with Tractor Trailer

John Thomas Ball Jr. from Faison, North Carolina (NC) was traveling on Interstate 40 near Old Mountain Road when he collided with a tractor trailer. The tractor trailer, driven by Pacquin Fields, had stopped at a construction zone. John Thomas Ball Jr. was not able to stop in time safely behind the truck and slammed in to the back.   

Ball’s vehicle broke through the support beam that is supposed to stop underride crashes and went under the tractor trailer. The rear axle of the truck broke, causing extensive damage to Ball’s vehicle.

Ball was airlifted to the Carolinas Medical Center, where he is still being treated for serious injuries sustained in the trucking accident.

As a personal injury attorney I have seen countless accidents involving tractor trailers. Trucking accidents are often far more dangerous for drivers then typical car accidents. Tractor trailers are several times the weight and size of a vehicle and can do extensive damage in even small accidents.

As drivers we have to be extremely cautious around large trucks, especially on the highway. In the case of John Thomas Ball, the truck had come to a complete stop on the highway and even though the truck was equipped with a support beam, the device failed and caused Ball to go under the truck. Ball’s injuries may not have been so serious if this had not happened.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law with experience handling truck accidents. Read our case results to see for yourself. Our law firm has offices in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). . Our attorneys have handled thousands of automobile negligence cases involving trucks, cars, trains, and motorcycles. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, VA, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube .  In addition, our lawyers proudly edit the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard, as well as the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service

Morganton North Carolina Pedestrian Fatal Accidents One Dead Four in Critical Condition

The second accident which took place last Saturday involved a 4-year old boy who was run over by a car that was driven by Janette Stamey. This tragic injury was a result of her not seeing the child when she was backing up in her own driveway.  The boy was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center. Last Tuesday, David Sparks was rushed into Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville after he was struck by a vehicle.  Donald Ray Pearson, the driver told authorities that he saw Sparks initially standing on the side road, but did not see him as he then started to cross. The fourth accident involved a hit-and-run, which happened on Bouchelle Street, and is still under investigation.

“Pedestrian Crash Facts” published by www.walkinginfo.org states that 4,654 lives were  lost due to pedestrian/motor vehicle crashes in 2007 alone estimating to be almost thirteen people everyday of the year.  Although statistics fell from 5,321 in 1997 to 4.654 in 2007, the road is still a place for everyone of all ages to be extremely cautious. 

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