Charges Brought against 95-year-old man over Smithfield, NC death

10/12/2011
Kevin Duffan
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Charges Brought Against 95-Year-Old man Over Smithfield, NC Pedestrian Accident Death

A 95-year-old man from Newport News, Virginia (VA), is facing charges of misdemeanor death by vehicle after he hit and killed a 73-year-old woman in a Walmart parking lot in Smithfiled, North Carolina (NC). Two other people also suffered injuries when struck by the man's pickup truck.The tragic accident occurred on October 1, 2011, near the entrance of the store on Brightleaf Blvd., ABC news reported.

The man told investigators he mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake. The victims have been identified as Lois Shannon, 73, Debra Holmes, 53, and Jeanna Holley, 35, all of Smithfield.

As experienced Virginia, North Carolina accident injury attorneys, my colleagues and I see many cases of small mistakes that lead to tragic consequences. It may be an improper lane change such as the one that led to the death of Marcia Wickline, 61 of Mount Airy, NC. Or perhaps a split-second error can be caused by distracted driving, such as the case in Suffolk, VA last year when a distracted driver was traveling westbound on Holland Road when she became distracted by the radio and ran off the road to the left.

If a small mistake leads to a death there can be a case for a wrongful death lawsuit.

The Walmart tragedy also raises questions about elderly drivers. In 2009 we reported on a case in Raleigh, NC, when an 83-year-old woman driving an SUV killed a 6-year-old girl as she got off a school bus. That accident reignited an ongoing debate about the safety of senior and elderly drivers in North Carolina. Rep. William McGee, a Forsyth County Republican, said the accident would not have taken place if the state shortened license renewal terms for those over 75 and mandated road tests for elderly drivers.

DM

Category: Wrongful Death

Labels: accident attorney crowd death driver Duffan elderly injuries injury lawyer misdemeanor mistake NC Newport News personal pickup Smithfield summons va Virginia Wal-Mart

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and we have experience handling wrongful death cases. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and listed in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Our North Carolina injury law firm has also been named one of the Best Injury Law Firms in North Carolina for personal injury plaintiffs since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential injury case consultations. So call us toll-free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call promptly.

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Charges Brought Against 95-Year-Old man Over Smithfield, NC Pedestrian Accident Death

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