Warrenton, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fairfax, Haymarket, Virginia personal injury attorneys serving those injured in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, on-the-job accidents, and nursing home negligence cases. Our clients have included those who have suffered brain injuries, dismemberment, spinal cord injuries, severe burns and other catastrophic injuries.

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News

Opiate abuse: Nursing home abuse in Virginia isn’t always obvious

It is important to know that over or under medication of nursing home patients is a form of elder abuse or neglect.  This is the story of a nursing home where residents were found to be over-medicated with strong pain control drugs that according to records they should not have been given.

 

Three residents were taken to the hospital after nursing home managers noted that they seemed to be acting unusual.  Testing later revealed that they had drugs in their system that they had not been prescribed. 

 

Of a total of 25 patients tested in the Alzheimer’s unit of the home, six were found to have opiates in their systems.  Three of those patients were subsequently hospitalized as a precaution.

 

Opiates are a controlled substance used primarily for pain management.  Side effects include sedation, drowsiness, nausea and constipation.

 

One of the hospitalized patients later died, and five others are still in the hospital.  It is unknown whether or not they will be returned to the nursing home.

 

The affected nursing home is located in Chapel Hill, NC, and is operated by a company which also operates nursing homes in Virginia.  Over or under-medication of nursing home patients is a difficult form of abuse and neglect to catch, because the signs can be so subtle.

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Injured Virginia workers: options for treating chronic pain

A doctor at the Culpeper Surgery Center has great news for injured workers suffering from chronic pain as the result of an on-the-job injury.  A multipronged approach to pain management may just give them the relief they’ve been seeking.

 

Dr. Susan Miller, a medical degree graduate from the University of Virginia, is also currently an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at UVa.  She is considered an expert in the treatment and diagnosis of pain.  Not only do doctors like Miller aim to relieve pain, but they also seek to restore physical function without surgery.

 

By avoiding surgery, chronic pain suffers can stay out of the hospital and avoid costly surgical procedures that could lead to further complications.  Long recovery times from surgery can also be avoided, allowing workers to return to work sooner.

 

A multidiscipline approach to chronic pain management can involve treatments like physical therapy, injections, patient education, psychological counseling, and more.  Dr. Miller believes that taking the whole person into consideration is important to achieving meaningful results.

 

Workers in Culpeper and Warrenton are often at risk from disorders that can leave them with chronic pain.  From office workers to construction workers, anybody can suffer a workplace accident that leaves them suffering.  Knowing that there are options for treating painful injuries should come as a relief to many.

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Trucker charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal Virginia crash

A truck driver accused of being “inattentive” has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter after causing a series of crashes that took the lives of two brothers.

 

The large truck accident happened last summer on Interstate 81 near mile marker 296.  According to police, the truck driver, Pawandeep Singh, 22, of Sacramento, drove his 2006 Peterbilt tractor-trailer into the back of a 2007 Honda.  The force of the impact pushed the Honda underneath a 2005 Peterbilt truck, which then rear-ended a 1999 Volvo tractor-trailer, which in turn hit a 2005 Freighter truck.

 

At the time of the crash traffic was stopped on I-81 because of an earlier crash.  Investigators determined that driver inattention was the cause of the crash, as Singh failed to notice that the vehicles ahead of him were slowing to stop.  The investigation also revealed that Singh was traveling at such a high rate of speed that after hitting the Honda it continued to skid for a while.

 

After the crash Singh was allowed out of jail on $10,000 secured bond.  At this time the plan is for him to remain at a home in Reston until the case goes to court.  Singh is unable to leave the state of Virginia without the court’s permission.

 

The victims of the crash, Stone T. Weeks, 24 and his brother, William “Holt” Weeks, 20, died at the scene of the accident.

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DUI and involuntary manslaughter charges for Stafford County woman

A wrong-way driver whose actions led to the death of another driver has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and involuntary manslaughter.  Vicki Lane Beach, 57, of Stafford County, caused the fatal crash when she drove the wrong way on northbound I-95.

 

According to Virginia State Police, Beach was headed west on Courthouse Road when she turned her 2010 Mercedes sedan left onto the I-95 northbound off-ramp when she should have taken the next left.  The mistake caused her to head south on I-95 north, where she crossed two lanes of traffic to the northbound left lane.

 

After traveling less than a mile, Beach crashed into a 2005 Chrysler Sebring being driven by Rachel T. Benezra, 55, of Staten Island N.Y.  Benezra was headed north in the same lane in which Beach was headed south.  It was snowing at the time of the collision, but there was no accumulation on the road surface according to police.

 

Both drivers were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash, and airbags deployed in both vehicles.  Beach was transported to Mary Washington Hospital with injuries.  Benezra was also taken to Mary Washington Hospital where she died several hours later.

 

Police declined to release the results of Beach’s blood alcohol test.  The left lane of I-95 north had to be closed while the Virginia State Police crash reconstruction team investigated the scene of the crash.

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Toyota issues more recalls, braking systems & drive shafts affected

The number of recalled Toyota vehicles keeps rising, unnerving investors and making customers uneasy.  To date about ten million recall notices have been sent out to Toyota owners across the globe, prompting safety experts to question the auto giant’s commitment to manufacturing excellence.

 

The recent recall events began late last year, when Toyota issued a recall affecting over four million vehicles for a floor mat accelerator entrapment issue.  The vehicles were recalled after the widely discussed death of an off-duty California trooper who died with his family when their Lexus sped out of control after the accelerator pedal became stuck.

 

Safety experts questioned whether faulty floor mat design was the root of the unintended acceleration problem.  Not long after another recall was issued for a similar issue, this time for a faulty throttle.  Vehicles affected by this recall could have their accelerator pedal get stuck, leading to an increased risk of a traffic crash.

 

The braking systems of three popular vehicles, the Prius, Camry, and Lexus were the focus of a recent recall.  Computer software that controls the brakes in the Prius and Lexus must be modified to prevent vehicles from being perceived as taking too long to brake.  The Camry has a brake tube defect that could lead to the loss of braking power, which could contribute to a serious crash.

 

Lastly, Toyota recently recalled about 8,000 2010 Toyota Tacoma vehicles for a defective drive shaft that could cause drive shaft separation and potentially contribute to motor vehicle crashes.  Owners of affected vehicles are asked to visit their dealer for a fix.

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Studies show that handheld cell phone bans don’t work

Calls for bans on hand-held cell phones behind the wheel are becoming more popular these days, but some newly released studies question whether or not these bans do any good.  A review of data from three states and the District of Columbia show that so far there has been no reduction in the number of auto accidents.

 

The Highway Loss Data Institute reviewed insurance claim information from New York, Connecticut, California and Washington D.C. – where cell phone use while driving has been banned – and compared the information to other areas with no cell phone ban.

 

Researchers were surprised that there was no change in the rate of accidents, despite ample studies that show cell phone use distracts a driver’s attention from the road and can lead to accidents.  One theory is that people may not be holding their cell phones, but they are still using them while driving – just with hands-free devices.

 

Studies have shown that using a hands-free device while driving is just as distracting and dangerous as using a cell phone.  It isn’t holding a phone that is distracting, argue researchers, it is the act of talking to a person who is not in the car that causes an unsafe level of distraction.

 

It remains to be seen what will be done with this information.  Will lawmakers continue to push for handheld cell phone bans or will they go all the way and ban cell phone use completely – even with a hands-free device?

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New details emerge in deadly Stevensburg Route 3 collision

Last year four people were killed in a tragic car crash near Stevensburg on Route 3 when Eugene T. Greene, 30, drove head-on into their vehicle. 

 

Disturbing new details about the case have been made available as the result of a memorandum filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by the Commonwealth’s Attorney.  In the memo, the attorney requested that an expert witness establish that Greene was sleep-deprived and should not have been driving.

 

The accident happened last March when Greene, who was headed east, veered into oncoming traffic on Rt. 3.  His Chevy Tahoe crashed into a Toyota Corolla headed west.  The driver of the Corolla, Tyler S. Harlow, 20, of Ruckersville, was killed.  Also killed were three of his passengers: Joseph L. Sahnw, 20, of Ruckersville, Tianna V. Jones, 19, of Standardsville, and James B. Cook, 21, of Marshfield, VT.  The only survivor in the Corolla was Howard J. Steiniger, 27, of Fredericksburg.

 

The new details in the case are from the Virginia State Police investigation, which found that neither vehicle left pre-impact or skid marks (no braking), both vehicles sustained damage to their left front sides, Greene was traveling at 55 mph on cruise control when the accident occurred and did not brake, and may have been unfit to drive because he was very drowsy at the time of the collision.

 

Greene, it turns out, had been awake for 20 hours before the crash and had only had six or seven hours of sleep in the previous 48 hours.  He had also consumed two beers an hour before the accident, and was unsure what lane he was in when the accident happened, whether he crossed the double-yellow line.

 

Greene was charged by a grand jury in October 2009 and is currently free on $20,000 bond.  He has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, wounding in the commission of a felony, and misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and operating an uninsured vehicle.  His trial is set for May 4th.

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Court asked to pay for traffic accident expert in fatal car crash case

The Culpeper County Commonwealth’s Attorney is asking for money to pay for an expert witness to testify against a drowsy driver in a fatal car crash that happened last year.

 

Attorney Gary Close has petitioned the Circuit Court for $15,000 to pay for Dr. William Christopher Winter of Charlottesville.  Dr. Winter is, according to Close, a sleep-deprivation expert and has worked with professional sports teams on sleep issues.  Close would like Dr. Winter to testify about the defendant’s physical condition the night of the fatal crash.

 

The defendant in this case, Eugene T. Greene, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, wounding in the commission of a felony, and misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and operating an uninsured vehicle for his role in the collision that killed four people and injured another.  He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently free on $20,000 bond.

 

An investigation by the Virginia State Police revealed that Greene had been awake for 20 hours when the crash happened, having only had six or seven hours of sleep in the previous 48 hours.  The commonwealth’s attorney believes that Greene was in no condition to be driving.

 

Court documents state that Greene did not know which lane he was driving in when the accident occurred, and he did not apply the brakes and was traveling at 55 miles per hour with the cruise control engaged when he crashed.

 

If Close’s request for $15,000 to pay the sleep expert is denied or if he does not get enough money, he intends to return to the Board of Supervisors in February.  The trial in this case is set to take place May 4th.

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Investigation reveals abuse & assault risks for nursing home residents

A recently released investigation by the Chicago Tribune has revealed shocking details about sexual abuse cases against elderly nursing home residents in the city.  Investigators found that of 86 cases of sexual violence against elderly and disabled nursing home residents, only one resulted in an arrest.

 

Sexual crimes against elderly residents ranged from molestation and groping to rape and sexual assault.  Surprisingly, most often other residents are the perpetrators, not staff or visitors.  The report stated that as long as nursing homes continue to be used as a place to house convicted felons and mentally ill patients, resident on resident crimes will continue.

 

Exacerbating the problem are low staff levels and budget cuts in many nursing homes.  Without adequate staff, predatory residents can harass and abuse other elderly or disabled residents.  These crimes often go unreported or unprosecuted, as victims are often unwilling or unable to report the crime.  Nursing homes may be aware of sexual abuse cases, but may chose to deal with the issue internally rather than reporting the matter to the police.

 

Overall the Tribune report reveals that sexual abuse crimes against elderly and disabled nursing home residents may be more common than previously thought.  A Virginia Tech professor who studies sex crimes against the elderly was quoted as saying “We believe the reports are less frequent than they should be — we think there is something hidden here.”

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Culpeper Sherriff Not Harmed in Car Crash

Even the Sherriff can get himself involved in a car accident.  Fortunately, there were no injuries and no charges were filed after two vehicles crashed in downtown Culpeper.  The Culpeper County Sherriff, Jim Branch, 55, was responding to a call to assist Culpeper police when the accident happened.

 

Branch was driving an unmarked 2009 Ford with his emergency lights on when he was hit by the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Impala.  Both the Ford and the Chevy were both turning left onto Belle Avenue when they collided.

 

The other motorist, Garland Gene Shortridge, 55, was headed north on Business route 29 when he made his left turn.  Branch was following a town police car as he turned left.  The intersection had apparently been cleared by the police car before the vehicles crashed.

 

Shortridge was driving at approximately 5 miles per hour when the accident occurred.  His vehicle sustained approximately $1,500 worth of damage to the driver side and passenger side doors.

 

Branch was driving at about 20 miles per hour and his vehicle sustained $1,800 in damage to the right front quarter panel and grill.

 

At the time of the crash both men were wearing their seat belts and the airbags did not deploy in either vehicle.  The Sherriff’s office had no comment on the accident, and no charges were filed.

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Workers may get extra protection against repetitive stress injuries

Every year nearly half a million workers suffer from repetitive stress injuries, also known as ergonomic injuries.  Legislation being proposed by the Obama administration could make a big difference for workers and potentially reduce the number of related workers’ compensation claims.

 

Ergonomic rules were initially issued in 2000 during the Clinton administration, and were intended to save $9.1 billion in health-care costs every year.  The rules were expected to cost U.S. employers about $4.2 billion a year, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a business lobbying group.

 

The current proposal would require U.S. companies to maintain more extensive records of ergonomic-related injuries.  Better records, argue proponents of the legislation, would allow employers to more quickly identify problems, which could allow them to make changes to protect their employees.

 

If labor organizations like the AFL-CIO get their way, this move could make it easier for regulations to be introduced that would expand workplace injury regulations stopped by the Bush administration under pressure from companies in 2001.

 

The business community is fighting the proposal, arguing that the costs associated with implementing such a program would be prohibitive and bad for business.  They are spending millions of dollars to fight the legislation.  On the other hand, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis claims that the new rules would level the playing field and force businesses to play by the rules.

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Two hospitalized, Route 1 closed after Woodbridge car crash

Two people were sent to the hospital after a motor vehicle crash that led to U.S. Route 1 in Woodbridge being closed.  The accident happened when the driver of a 2005 Ford Focus lost control on northbound Route 1 near the intersection of Powell’s Creek Boulevard.

 

According to Prince William Police, the driver, Esther E. Davis, 53, of Woodbridge, crossed over the double yellow line on Rt. 1 and crashed into a 2004 Jeep Wrangler.  The Jeep Wrangler was being driven by a 29 year old Woodbridge man who had to be taken to the hospital.  The police described the man’s injuries as non-life threatening.

 

Davis, on the other hand, had to be airlifted to the hospital for what the police describe as “precautionary reasons”.  She was charged with reckless driving and was released on a summons.  Route 1 had to be closed for about an hour in both directions while investigators did their work and the scene was cleaned up.

 

Prince William Police are using this accident as an opportunity to remind drivers to practice safe driving behaviors while out on the roads this winter.  Drivers are reminded to slow down, give snow plows plenty of room to work, and to watch for areas of the road that freeze faster than the rest.

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Bus collision in Lake Ridge sends two people to the hospital

A bus passenger and the driver of another vehicle had to be taken to the hospital after a motor vehicle crash in Lake Ridge.  A 76 year old Woodbridge woman driving a 2004 Acura pulled onto Old Bridge Road from Wood Hollow road and crashed into an OmniLink transit bus.

 

According to initial reports from the accident scene, the woman driver had to be cut out of her car by emergency responders.  Of the seven people on the bus (including the driver) only one had to be taken to the hospital with injuries.

 

There is no word from Prince William Police on the status of the woman driver or the injured bus passenger.  Police are investigating the crash and will provide more information when it becomes available.

 

The organization that operates the OmniLink bus service, the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, is also investigation the crash.  According to a commission spokesperson they sent personnel to the scent to investigate the accident.

 

No word yet on whether or not the woman driver or the bus driver will be charged in relation to the accident, although from initial reports it appears that the woman driver was responsible for the crash.  Actual fault will not be known until the accident investigation is complete.

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Culpeper DUI traffic stop leads to drug charges for Maryland couple

A weekend DUI traffic stop has two Maryland residents facing a number of serious charges.  The couple, Tealeye Luciano, 34, and Demian Galen Filkins, were stopped on North Main Street by a Culpeper police officer.

 

The officer stopped Luciano under suspicion of drunk driving.  According to the officer, Luciano appeared disoriented and confused, telling the officer that she and her boyfriend were staying locally in a motel after attending a Phish concert.

 

The officer arrested Luciano, who then asked the officer to check on her boyfriend at the Willis Lane Rodeway Inn.  Filkins was found by officers in the motel room bed, with what police believed to be marijuana.

 

Upon searching the room officers found drugs, prescription pills, and nearly $5,000 in cash ($3,900 in the room and $1,000 on Luciano).  Both individuals are being held without bond in the Culpeper County jail, awaiting an appearance before the Culpeper General District Court.

 

Luciano was charged with DUI, refusing to take a breath test, driving without a license, marijuana possession, transporting drugs into Virginia for distribution, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute prescription drugs.

 

Filkins was charged with possession of marijuana, transporting drugs into Virginia for distribution, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute prescription drugs.

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Will budget cuts mean trouble for Virginia nursing home residents?

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has released his proposed two-year state budget which includes a $419 million reduction to Medicaid.  The reduction includes $19.8 million worth of cuts to nursing home facilities.

 

According to the Virginia Health Care Association (VHCA), 63 percent of individuals in nursing homes are on Medicaid.  This means that any changes or cuts to Medicaid affect people who are unable to do much about it.

 

Virginia is already ranks low when compared to other states when it comes to Medicaid reimbursement.  One health system provider claims that they only receive 70 cents on the dollar for hospital care.

 

Facility residents who depend on Medicaid aren’t the only ones who may be affected.  Those residents paying for care out of their own pocket may see rates rise to make up for the Medicaid shortfall, which means they might run out of savings sooner.  As soon as they exhaust their savings, they’ll be eligible for Medicaid themselves – creating a vicious cycle.

 

According to the VHCA, 70 percent of the costs in long-term care facilities are for staffing.  If cuts are made to Medicaid, it is likely that some facilities will attempt to trim staff to save money.  The problem is that residents in understaffed facilities are more likely to experience neglect and abuse.

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Toyota officially announces largest ever recall in history for “sudden acceleration” problem

In late September the Toyota Motor Corporation warned that they would be issuing a recall that would affect about 3.8 million vehicles.  The issue, according to reports at the time, was that accelerator pedals in certain Toyota models could become entrapped in the floor mats, causing sudden acceleration and potentially leading to serious or deadly accidents.

 

This month Toyota has officially announced the recall, which is slightly larger than previously expected and which has expanded to Canada.  About 4.26 million vehicles may be affected by the recall, which covers 8 Toyota models.

 

In addition to the problem with unintended acceleration, Toyota has also issued a recall for 110,000 Tundra and Tacoma pickup trucks.  The pickups are at risk for frame corrosion that could damage brake lines and dislodge spare tires.  The flaw has been investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also investigated the sudden acceleration issue a number of times.

 

Toyota announced that it would be issuing the sudden acceleration recall after the highly-publicized death of a California highway patrol officer who was killed, along with three other members of his family, when the Lexus they were in accelerated out of control and ended up crashing.

 

Owners of recalled vehicles can take them to a Toyota dealer to be fixed.  There is a temporary fix for the sudden acceleration issue that can be permanently fixed in April when Toyota will make new accelerator pedals available.

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Northern Virginia worker electrocuted, another seriously injured on-the-job

One Arlington County worker is dead and another severely injured after an on-the-job accident.  The men had just worked through the night to repair water main break and were removing a set of temporary lights when the accident happened.

 

The only information made public after the accident was that the men came into contact with a power line.  The accident is being investigated by the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the Arlington police.

 

The worker who was electrocuted, James Bea, 59, of Arlington, was about to go home when he was killed.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.  The other worker suffered severe electrical burns and is in critical condition.  His name has not been released.

 

Water pressure in the north part of Arlington County was low over Thanksgiving as county workers tried to fix the water main break.  After the accident about 1,000 homes lost power, which was restored several hours later.

 

James Bea is survived by a wife, a child and several grandchildren.  Bea and the other injured worker were employed by the Arlington County Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau in the Department of Environmental Services.

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Woodbridge man killed in collision with tractor trailer on I-95

A Woodbridge man is dead after an early morning collision with a tractor trailer on Interstate 95.  The crash happened in Fairfax County about three-quarters of a mile north of Route 7100 about 2:15 in the morning.

 

The man, Tomell Grady, 26, was headed north on I-95 when he drove his Hyundai into the back of a northbound tractor trailer.  According to police, Grady was traveling at a “high rate of speed”, and his Hyundai ended up underneath the 18-wheeler.

 

Grady was killed in the accident.  Two people from the tractor trailer were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and released.  As a result of the fatal traffic crash, all northbound lanes of I-95 had to be shut down.  Traffic was diverted onto the HOV lanes until all lanes of I-95 were reopened around 5:30 in the morning.

 

The accident is under investigation.  It is not known if alcohol or drug use was a factor in the crash.

 

Speed is a major contributing factor to serious car and truck accidents in Virginia, and traveling at a high rate of speed is one hallmark of an aggressive driver.  In about 10 percent of accident cases for drivers age 21 to 65 speed is a main contributing factor.  Following too closely – which the driver in this situation may have been doing – is hands-down the number one cause of crashes for U.S. adults.

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Mitsubishi Lancer airbag sensor recall affects Virginia vehicles

Prompted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mitsubishi has issued a recall for almost 30,000 2008 and 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer and Lancer Evolution vehicles.  The recall affects vehicles registered to owners in “salt belt” states, where vehicles are exposed to melted snow and ice during winter.

 

Virginia is one of the 23 states affected by the recall, which was initiated when the NHTSA became concerned that long-term exposure to the salty winter road mix could cause corrosion to the front impact sensor.  Damage to this sensor could delay airbag deployment in the event of a traffic accident, possibly injuring the driver or front passenger.

 

Owners of the affected vehicles can take their cars to their local Mitsubishi dealer for a free fix.  To resolve this potential issue, dealers will replace the airbag sensors with a redesigned sensor.  The new sensor is designed to withstand corrosion caused by winter water and salt road mixtures.

 

The recall is scheduled to begin November 27, 2009.  Owners of affected Mitsubishi Lancers and Lancer Evolution vehicles can contact Mitsubishi Customer Relations at 888-648-7820, contact NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, or visit NHTSA on the Internet at www.safercar.gov.

 

Owners of vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the following states should visit their Mitsubishi dealer as soon as possible:  Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

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Manslaughter charges for Stafford man who killed two in drunk driving crash

A man who killed two people while driving under the influence in Prince William County has been indicted on two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

 

The man, William John Mallory, 26, was driving his 2004 Ford Explorer home from a Jimmy Buffet concert at the Nissan Pavilion when he crashed into a car at the intersection of Prince William Parkway and University Boulevard.

 

According to police the force of the collision sent the other vehicle, a 2007 Saturn Ion, off the road through a fence where is careened across a field and landed on some boulders.

 

The other vehicle was being driven by a woman from Dumfries, 43, who was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.  The driver’s mother, Rebecca L. Sacra, 60, from Alexandria and the woman’s 2 year old son Jonathan Wade-Ortiz, died at the scene of the accident.

 

Another passenger from the Ion, a 12 year old nephew of the driver, was also taken to the hospital but police described his injuries as not life threatening.

 

Police stated that alcohol was a factor in the traffic crash; Mallory will stand trial before a jury on April 5, 2010.

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NHTSA announces that traffic fatalities are down so far this year

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced this month that motor vehicle accident fatalities for the first half of this year are down by about 7 percent compared to the same time period last year.

 

A statistical projection of traffic deaths shows that about 16.626 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes from January to June, compared to 17,871 in the same period last year.  The first quarter of 2009 saw a 10 percent drop in fatalities compared to 2008, and the second quarter wasn’t as good but still showed a 4 percent drop.

 

If the numbers from the statistical projection bear out, the second quarter of 2009 would be the 13th consecutive quarter showing a decline in traffic fatalities compared to the same quarter from the previous year.

 

According to the NHTSA, traffic fatalities have been steadily dropping over the years every since a recent peak in 2005.  The largest decline in traffic deaths this year was in February, which saw a 16 percent decrease. 

 

Data for the NHTSA report comes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), FastFARS (FF), and Monthly Fatality Counts (MFC). 

 

Please visit our on-line motor vehicle accident law library for articles about car, tractor trailer and motorcycle accident issues.

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FMCSA and their multi-million dollar trucking company fines

Ensuring compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) is the responsibility of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).  This gives the FMCSA oversight of all the truck, bus and motorcoach companies that are regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

 

The FMCSA collects tens of millions in fines every year from motor carriers that fail to follow applicable regulations.  Here are the totals collected from closed cases for the last five years, including what has been collected so far this year:

  • 2009 – 5214 total cases resulting in $25,244,699.00 collected by FMCSA
  • 2008 – 5138 total cases resulting in $27,019,030.00 collected by FMCSA
  • 2007 – 5281 total cases resulting in $26,381,389.00 collected by FMCSA
  • 2006 – 4403 total cases resulting in $18,873,088.00 collected by FMCSA
  • 2005 – 4102 total cases resulting in $20,170,452.00 collected by FMCSA

 

In Virginia so far this year there have been 184 motor carrier violation cases closed.  So far the most expensive case has been against a truck company in Woodbridge, Virginia that violated six different regulations and had to pay $ 54,960.00 to settle their case.

 

This is the kind of information that can be very helpful when researching a tractor trailer accident case.  As you can imagine, any company with tens of thousands dollars worth of fines for violating the law will have some problems convincing a judge or jury that they care about the safety of their drivers and other road users.

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Distracted drivers are a “menace to society”

At a two-day meeting in Washington D.C. dealing with the dangers of distracted driving, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made a bold statement.  He called distracted driving a “menace to society”.

 

These words set the tone of the summit, which was held to bring together law enforcement officials, safety advocates, researchers and lawmakers on the subject of distracted driving.

 

This “menace” has been getting a great deal of attention in Virginia lately, as earlier this year the state passed a ban on texting while driving and the Virginia General Assembly again considered a ban on hand-held cell phones.

 

Secretary LaHood stated that “a combination of strong laws, tough enforcement and ongoing public education” similar to what was done with the national seat belt safety campaign would push drivers to think twice before engaging in distracting behavior behind the wheel.

 

Transportation officials estimate that distracted driving contributed to 5,870 deaths and 515,000 injuries in traffic crashes last year.  Officials also noted that passenger vehicle drivers aren’t the only ones guilty of driving while distracted; bus, train and tractor-trailer drivers have all caused accidents because their attention was focused on something other than driving.

 

Time will tell what solutions Congress and Secretary LaHood find to stem the tide of distracted driving on roads and highways across the United States.

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Manslaughter charges for man accused of killing four in Culpeper County head-on collision

This past March a man is accused of killing four motorists when he crashed head-on into their vehicle on a Culpeper County road.  The accident happened on March 22, 2009 when Eugene Tyrone Greene, 29, of Spotsylvania County, crashed his 2002 Chevy Tahoe head-on into a 2004 Toyota Corolla carrying five people.

 

The accident happened east of Stevensburg near Clay Hill Road on the two-lane portion of State Route 3.  Greene, a former Culpeper resident, was driving on the wrong side of the road when the accident happened.  Four of the occupants of the Corolla were pronounced dead at the scene.

 

Victims include Tyler Scott Harlow, 20, the Corolla’s driver, Joseph Lee Sahnow, 20, Tianna V. Jones, 19, and James B. Cook, 21.  One person from the Corolla survived the accident: Howard John Steiniger, 27, who was sitting in the right rear seat when the crash occurred.

 

Greene was treated at Mary Washington Hospital for his injuries and released.  That night he turned himself in to police and his bond was set for $20,000.

 

This month a grand jury indicted Greene on four counts of involuntary manslaughter, one felony count of maiming, one felony count of destruction of property during the commission of a felony, reckless driving and operating a vehicle with no insurance.

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Zero Motorcycles issues recall for faulty throttles

About 200 Zero X and Zero MX electric off-road motorcycles have been recalled by Zero Motorcycles because of a faulty throttle that might become stuck or disconnected, potentially posing a danger to riders.

 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received three reports of riders who experienced unexpected acceleration while riding a Zero Motorcycle.  One rider suffered minor injuries as a result.

 

According to the CPSC, the throttle on the Zero X and the Zero MX motorcycles can become stuck in the open position or it can become disconnected.  Either of these incidents could cause the motorcycle to go into full power when turned on.

 

The issue was actually discovered by the manufacturer during recent design review and testing procedures.  Zero Motorcycles voluntarily made the decision to issue a product recall without pressure from any outside organization.

 

Owners of the Zero X and Zero MX motorcycles have been notified by mail of the recall.  The company will provide replacement parts for free.  The replacement part consists of a dashboard that takes 10 to 15 minutes to swap out.

 

Consumers are advised to stop using the defective motorcycles until the troublesome part has been replaced.

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Massive Toyota recall planned after 5 deaths and 17 injuries

Five deaths and 17 injuries in car accidents have prompted The Toyota Motor Corporation to announce its largest planned safety recall ever.  The accidents happened when accelerator pedals in Toyota vehicles became trapped under floor mats, causing the vehicles to speed up even as drivers removed their foot from the pedal.

 

The recall was triggered by a fatal crash in San Diego, CA earlier this month when an off-duty policeman and his family were killed when their vehicle’s accelerator pedal became stuck under the floor mat and the car sped out of control.

 

According to the Transportation Department, the accelerator pedal problem is caused by factors including “the use of a variety of unsecured mats, the particular configuration of the accelerator pedals in these vehicles, and the unique steps needed to shut off the engines in some of these vehicles with keyless ignitions.”

 

Warnings have been issued for the following Toyota vehicles: 2007-2010 Camry; 2005-2010 Avalon; 2004-2009 Prius; 2005-2010 Tacoma; 2007-2010 Tundra; 2007-2010 ES 350; and 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS 350.

 

Owners of these vehicles are advised to remove the floor mats from the driver’s side until more information is available.  Toyota is currently investigating the problem, and will issue an official recall when they know more.  The recall could affect up to 3.8 million vehicles.

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Lynchburg Woman Sentenced in Assisted Living ID Theft Scam

48 year old nurse Karen Jones of Lynchburg was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to steal the identities of nine elderly patients she cared for.  Jones worked at two locations:  The Oaks Assisted Living Facility and Avante Assisted Living Facility in Lynchburg.  She then used the stolen identities to open credit accounts at department stores and to purchase cell phones and cable TV.


The United States Secret Service investigated the case against Jones’ for the actions that occurred from April 2007 to November 2008.  Jones pleaded not guilty earlier this year to the charges against her, but recently changed her plea to guilty, confirmed U.S. Attorney Julia Dudley in a statement released following the sentencing hearing. 

 
Assistant United States Attorney Charlene Day prosecuted the case where Jones was charged with three counts of identity theft, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and one count of forging endorsement on a United States Treasury check. One of her victims was a 99 year old whose stimulus check thumb print matched Jones’ print.

 

Another victim is the mother of Norman Moon, a U.S. District Court Judge who regularly hears Lynchburg cases.  Following her incarceration, Jones will face two years supervised release along with being ordered to pay restitution of $9,132 and $800 in special assessment fees. 

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Prince William County Carjacking Ends in Five Vehicle Crash

A carjacking that started in Prince William County ended in a five vehicle crash in Prince George’s County.  The suspect fled on foot after losing control and crashing into a median.  The victim of the carjacking was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

 

The incident began just before 9pm in the 13300 block of Gateway Center Drive, where a woman was approached in a store parking lot by a man with a handgun.  The man forced the victim into her car before speeding off and getting onto Interstate 495.

 

The victim’s car, a 2009 Dodge Journey, was spotted by a State Trooper A.L. McInnes as it crossed the Woodrow Wilson Bridge heading into Prince George’s County.  Trooper McInnes stated that the car was traveling at unsafe speeds.

 

The car then exited the interstate and pulled into a fast food parking lot, ending the chase around 9:15pm when it struck five vehicles.  The unidentified carjacker fled the scene on foot, and police were not able to find him.  All those involved in the crash were treated for minor injuries; some were treated at the scene by medical personnel and released.  One of the vehicles involved in the crash was a Virginia State Police vehicle.

 

Police released a composite photograph of the perpetrator, describing him as a light-skinned black man, 25-30 years old, slim build, and six feet tall.

 

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Driving Under the Influence Kills Mother and Son

A 26-year-old Stafford man, William John Mallory, is being charged for driving under the influence after he rear ended a family car stopped at a red light.  Mallory was returning from a Jimmy Buffet concert at Nissan Pavilion at approximately 12:45am when his 2004 Ford Explorer struck a 2007 Saturn Ion, forcing the Ion off the road and into a field where it collided with a boulder killing two of the passengers. 

 

The driver of the Ion, Gloria Delgado, 43, was returning home from a family vacation in Tennessee with her two year old son, 60 year old mother, and 12 year old nephew.  Delgado’s mother was properly restrained in the passenger seat, while her son was in a child seat in the back next to her nephew who was also wearing a seat belt. 

 

Delgado was heading Eastbound on 234, at a red light on University Boulevard when the vehicle was rear ended.  The collision killed her mother, Rebecca L. Sacra of Alexandria, and her son, Jonathan Wade-Ortiz.  Her nephew was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.  Delgado was hospitalized with life threatening injuries. 

 

Mallory is being held without bond until his November 6th court date.  The investigation continues and more charges could be filed.  Of the three passengers in his Explorer, one experienced minor injuries which were treated at the scene.

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Fatal Traffic Crash in Eastern Orange County

After failing to yield the right of way, Julie Loving, a 44 year old Montpelier woman, was struck by another car at the intersection of Route 20 and Zoar Road in Eastern Orange County.  Loving was turning from Zoar Road onto Route 20 southbound, driving a 1996 two door Mitsubishi and was struck in the drivers’ side by a 2005 Honda Accord traveling south on Route 20.

 

Both cars spun out of control and careened into an Orange County school bus heading north on Route 20.  The school bus was carrying two students, a five year old boy and a nine year old boy.

 

The 38 year old bus driver and the five year old passenger were treated at Culpeper Regional Hospital with minor injuries, while the nine year old passenger was released to his parents at the scene of the accident.  The 42 year old driver of the Accord and her three teenage passengers were taken to Culpeper Regional Hospital with minor injuries.

 

Loving was not wearing a seat belt, and died while on route to Mary Washington Hospital.  Her 15 year old and five year old daughters were both wearing restraints, and were treated for serious injuries at Mary Washington Hospital.  Virginia State Police reported that Route 20 was closed for two hours while fire and rescue worked the scene. 

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Police officer rescues baby in Prince William car crash

A man who tried to speed away when police clocked him speeding at 40 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone crashed, involving his infant daughter in a crash.  The man, Gustavo Diaz-Bautista, crashed into the 8500 block of West Rugby Road while trying to evade police.

 

A police officer was able to pull Diaz-Bautista from the car.  The man was injured in the crash and had to be taken the hospital.  The officer noted that there was a baby in the back of the car, and had to pry the passenger door open to rescue her.

 

The baby, 7-month old Brianna Diaz, was being taken by her father to daycare when the accident happened.  According to police, the baby slept through the accident and was not injured.  She was riding in a car seat at the time of the crash.

 

Diaz-Bautista had to have surgery after the accident and is expected to recover.  He has been charged with felony eluding and child abuse, and is being held without bond.

 

His wife, Brianna’s mother, speculated that the man fled from police because he was nervous.  According to police he was driving with a revoked operator’s license.

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Bristol Virginia man accused of sexually abusing nursing home residents

A Bristol man is being held without bond at the Bristol Virginia Jail on after being indicted by a grand jury on four counts of aggravated sexual battery.  The indictment followed an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia.

 

According to the Virginia Board of Nursing, the nursing home abuse incidents took place between July 2003 and May 2008.  The man who was arrested, James W. Wright, allegedly groped, fondled and sexually assaulted the victims at two different nursing homes.

 

Documents from the nursing board reveal that seven patients at the National HealthCare nursing home (NHC) complained of being sexually assaulted by Wright.  However, Wright was able to leave his job at NHC and take a new job at the Brookdale Senior Living-Grand Court Bristol nursing home – after passing a background investigation.

 

Additional document show that a patient at the Grand Court nursing home was then assaulted by Wright.  In addition, former employees of NHC claim that the home ignored complaints from residents and staff members about Wright’s abuse of residents.

 

A spokesperson for the Grand Court claims they fired Wright after suspecting that he abused patients at NHC.

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Virginia construction worker killed in front end loader accident

Work at a new housing development in Newport News, Virginia was interrupted this week when a construction worker was killed.  The worker, Kirk Giezey, 34, was crushed by a front end loader at the Eastwood Drive development site north of the city.

 

According to local police, Giezey was riding in the scoop of the front end loader when the accident happened.  The loader was being driven by another worker.

 

Giezey apparently fell out of the scoop and was run over by the vehicle.  He was pronounced dead shortly after the accident.

 

The death of this Virginia construction worker will be investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  It is not known if Giezey’s family will receive any workers’ compensation death benefits as a result of his tragic death.

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Virginia DMV reports traffic fatalities dropped, injuries rose in 2008

According to the most recently published Virginia Crash Facts – a document published every year since 1985 by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles – the number of traffic fatalities in Virginia has dropped.

 

In 2008, the most recent year for which data was available, there were 821 traffic accident deaths.  This is a decrease of about 20 percent from the previous year.  The fatality rate in 2008 was also the lowest it has been since 1966.

 

While road deaths may have dropped, the number of injuries rose over the previous year’s numbers.  In 2008 a total of 69,130 people were injured in traffic crashes, up 45 percent from 2007.

 

The data compiled by the Virginia DMV also revealed that the most dangerous time of the day is the afternoon commute.  The majority of crashes in 2008 occurred between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m.  Speed is also still an issue for drivers involved in accidents, with over a thousand drivers traveling over 70 miles per hour just before a crash.

 

One change that might be expected for coming years is the rise in the number of distracted driving accidents.  With more focus on the various forms of distracted driving – cell phone use, text messaging behind the wheel, and more – authorities may begin tracking these kinds of accidents more closely.

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Rise in number of women caught driving under the influence of alcohol

The number of women facing DUI charges across the country was up nearly 30 percent from 1997 to 2007.  A total of 162,493 women were arrested on DUI charges in 2007 according to FBI statistics.  During the same time period, the number of men facing similar charges dropped 7.5 percent.

 

The president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving has pointed out that about 2,000 intoxicated women a year are involved in fatal auto accidents.  U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called the increase in female drunk drivers “a disturbing trend”.

 

The reason for the increase in intoxicated female drivers is unknown, and the federal government offered no theories as to why more women were drunk driving.

 

These statistics come as the nation prepares for the annual Labor Day weekend DUI crackdown, when law enforcement officers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. will be out in force.  The annual crackdown, dubbed “Checkpoint Strikeforce”, will place sobriety checkpoints throughout the area from August 21 to Labor Day.

 

Despite the increase, drunk driving arrests are still dominated by men.  In Virginia last year, about 80 percent of those convicted of a DUI were men and the remaining 20 percent were women.

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Teens at a greater risk of dying behind the wheel during the summer

AAA Mid-Atlantic reports that the most dangerous time of the year for teen drivers is the summer.  This is when teenagers have more free time on their hands and a care-free attitude about driving.  They are also in their cars more; AAA estimates that teens driver 44 percent more during the summer than during other times of the year.

 

Teenage attitudes towards driving safety also factor into increased summer accident rates.  Many teens are easily distracted while behind the wheel, and combined with their inexperience a few seconds of distraction can have deadly consequences.  In addition, teens don’t always realize that bad things like serious car accidents can happen to them, an attitude that is reflected in their sometimes reckless behavior.

 

In Virginia last summer, 35 teenagers died from May through August and 50 died during the same period the year before.  One big risk factor for teen drivers is alcohol involvement; teens are more likely than other age groups to be involved in an alcohol-related crash.

 

Parents of teen drivers should take the time to discuss driving risks and behaviors with their children.  Parents should also remind teens of Virginia’s novice driver laws.  These include curfew restrictions for drivers under the age of 18, restrictions on the number of passengers that a teen driver can have in their car, and cell phone and texting restrictions for teen drivers.

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Spotsylvania teen charged with DUI in Culpeper crash

A late night two-vehicle crash has led to a teenager being charged with DUI.  The teen, Timothy Anderson, 19, was heading east in the westbound lane on Route 3 near Lignum when he struck another vehicle.

 

The crash happened near the Revercomb Road intersection where Route 3 splits into four lanes.  According to the Culpeper County Sherriff’s Office Anderson crashed his Volvo into an oncoming vehicle, then hit a guard rail and ended up in the median.  No injuries resulted from the crash.

 

Police arrested Anderson and charged the teen with driving under the influence of alcohol.  He was driving with a 16 year old passenger who was released to his parents.  Anderson was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and driving on the wrong side of the road.

 

Drunk driving is a serious issue in Virginia, especially for underage drivers.  Last year 354 people lost their lives in alcohol related crashes and another 7,000 were injured.  Drunk drivers are overwhelmingly male: nearly 80 percent of those convicted of a DUI last year were men.

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Culpeper resident charged with DUI

A wreck on Homeland Road in Culpeper led to a crash and then a DUI conviction for one local resident.  According to Virginia State Police, Culpeper resident Timothy O’Roark sideswiped a Dodge Neon in the early evening his past Friday.

 

The impact of being hit by O’Roark’s vehicle, a Ford Ranger, caused the driver of the Neon, Miranda Settle, to go over an embankment and land in a cattle watering hole.  After the collision O’Roark continued to driver for another quarter-mile without a front tire before stopping at Creek Crossing Road.

 

According to a witness O’Roark crossed the yellow lane divider line to strike Settle’s Neon, and nearly hit another car as well.

 

Settle was taken to Fauquier Hospital to be treated for her injuries and was later released.  O’Roark was arrested and found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.10; the legal BAC limit in Virginia is 0.08.

 

Every year over 350 people are killed in Virginia drunk driving accidents and about 7,000 are injured.  The average BAC of drunk drivers in Virginia is 0.14 and the majority of convicted offenders are male.

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Safety improvements coming to several roads in Culpeper

Culpeper drivers will see several improvements to Business 29, Route 229 and Route 3 completed over the next year or so, improvements that should reduce traffic jams and keep drivers safer.

 

Bus. 29 is the target of a $3.26 million project that will add details like a new median and will widen Bus. 29 from two lanes to four from Ira Hoffman Lane to a redesigned intersection with Route 666.

 

The Bus. 29 project is ahead of schedule and is anticipated to be done by next month instead of the original completion date of November 30.  Construction was approved because the affected area has grown considerably over the years, and is now home to a number of large retail stores that has drawn traffic from all over the area.

 

Changes to Route 229 are part of a $3.38 million dollar contract, and consist of three parts: widening of Route 229 north of downtown, widening from Bus. 29 to Fairview Road, and lastly improvements from Fairview Road to the town limits.  There are some funding concerns with this project, which is targeted for completion by next June.

 

One final road improvement project is expected to be done by December.  A curved stretch of road on Route 3 near Stevensburg is the target of a number of safety-related changes.  This section of Route 3 has seen several fatal accidents over the years, most recently in March when four people died in a crash.

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Fatal beltway accident caused by drunk driver with numerous traffic violations

In addition to a BAC twice the legal limit, the driver who caused a fatal Beltway accident on July 7 apparently has a history of driving violations in at least 3 states including Maryland and Virginia.

 

Two men are dead after being hit by the drunk driver, Kelli R. Loos, 33.  Loos slammed into the back of a Nissan pickup truck while headed south on the Beltway towards Virginia.  The force of the impact sent the pickup truck over a guardrail and down a steep embankment, where the pickup eventually landed on its roof.

 

The men, Gradys Mendoza, 39, and Franklin Manzanares, 37, both of Springfield, Virginia were killed.  Mendoza, the pickup truck driver, was transported to a local hospital by rescue workers but died before arriving there.  Manzanares was a passenger in the pickup and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

 

After colliding with the pickup truck Loos continued to drive, and was followed by another motorist who reported the crash to police and observed Loos crashing into a highway sign several miles later.  A breathalyzer test put her BAC at 0.20, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

 

Loos is currenly being held in Fairfax jail pending extradition to Maryland.  Investigation of her driving record revealed numerous charges of driving on a suspended license, at least six speeding and traffic violations in more than one state, and driving without a license.

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NHTSA reminds drivers of dangers posed to children in hot cars

It is a horrific tragedy: every year young children die when left alone in hot vehicles during searing summer months.  Hyperthermia, also known as heat-stroke, is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths.

 

Many drivers do not realize how quickly a child can overheat when left in a hot car.  Even with the windows rolled down a few inches, temperatures inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels that can kill.

 

Parents and caregivers are advised to never, ever leave a child alone in a vehicle, even with windows open or the air-conditioner running.  Vehicles should also be off-limits to children for games, since kids are also killed when they accidentally lock themselves in a car or the trunk of a car and aren’t found in time.

 

If you spot a child alone in a hot vehicle, NHTSA has the following tips: first, call the police.  If the child appears to be in distress, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.  Cool the child rapidly and call 911 or the local emergency number immediately.

 

Warning signs that a child may be seriously incapacitated by a hot car and need immediate medical help include red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, nausea or acting strangely.

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Injured man’s widow wants to reform Virginia workers comp laws

The widow of a man who died after suffering from an injury sustained at the Owen Trucking parking lot outside Fredericksburg wants to see changes in Virginia’s workers’ compensation laws that denied her benefits.

 

The man, Arthur Pierce, was found one morning in Septmber 2006 unconscious in a pool of blood next to his truck.  Pierce never regained consciousness and was therefore unable to explain what caused his accident.  Without witnesses, investigators could only speculate on how he was hurt.

 

Pierce died after 16 months in a coma, leaving behind his wife Claire.  Mrs. Pierce applied for workers’ compensation on behalf of her husband, believing that his injuries and death would be covered.  Not so.

 

Mrs. Pierce was denied compensation by both the trucking company and by the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission.  The fact that her husband was not able to testify as to the cause of his accident was cited as a reason for the denial in both cases, despite the fact that accident happened at work and while he was clocked in.

 

What Mrs. Pierce then learned is something fueling her drive to reform the rules: if her husband had died at work when the accident happened, very likely he would have been eligible for insurance benefits.  However, because he lived – even though he never came out of a coma and later died – benefits were denied.

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Ban on texting while driving in Virginia begins

If you like to send text messages or email while you’re behind the wheel, pay attention: as of Wednesday July 1st that activity will be illegal in Virginia.

 

Virginia is about to join thirteen other states and the District of Columbia in banning TWD (“texting while driving”).  The new law, along with hundreds of others passed by the Virginia General Assembly months ago, takes effect in a few days.

 

However, you will have to be pulled over for another reason before you can be cited for texting behind the wheel.  That’s because lawmakers have classified TWD as a secondary offense, making it impossible for police officers to pull you over just for sending a text or email.

 

If caught, offenders can receive a $20 fine or $50 for a second offense.  Texting while driving has been a big issue for lawmakers, as various studies have classified this form of distracted driving as being as dangerous as drunk driving.

 

It has taken several years for the ban to be enacted by the General Assembly, although it was already illegal for teen drivers to text behind the wheel.  Officials hope the number of car accidents caused by distracted drivers will be reduced when word spreads about the new law.

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Uninsured motorists on the rise due to economic conditions

In an effort to save money some Virginia drivers are dropping their car insurance completely, leaving themselves uninsured and vulnerable.  According to AAA, as road travel picks up over the summer holidays many drivers who thought they were saving money will find themselves paying dearly for a bad budget decision.

 

While drivers will find that jettisoning their auto insurance will save them in the short-term, what they don’t fully realize is that if they get into an accident they face potentially large expenses.  In addition to what they might be liable for in an accident, they have to pay a $500 Virginia uninsured motorist fine.  In addition, having a new accident on their driving record will make it more difficult to get affordable insurance.

 

Worst case, an uninsured driver who causes a serious auto accident – one with major injuries and massive property damage – can be sued in a court of law.  These uninsured drivers face losing everything – their home, their savings – ending up far worse off than if they’d just kept their car insurance current.

 

Experts suggest that individuals struggling to make ends meet talk to their insurance company about raising their deductible, good driver discounts, or adjusting insurance on an older vehicle that requires less coverage.  In addition drivers can shop around, but they should keep in mind that a cheap policy may not be a good one.

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Theft of prescription drugs from nursing home residents on the rise

In recent months several states have seen cases where nursing home employees steal prescription drugs from the elderly residents they care for.  Typically drugs with a high street value like narcotic painkillers are stolen and then sold later for cash.

 

The thefts often go unnoticed by elderly residents, some because they don’t have the ability to notice or communicate that their painkillers are gone and others because they were slipped a placebo. 

 

Drugs that are popular with sticky-fingered nursing home or long term care facility employees include Lortab, Lorcet, Vicodin, Norco, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and OxyContin.

 

If residents don’t notice that their medication is missing, it can be very difficult to catch the thief.  In one case in Georgia, a nursing home nurse who had been stealing hydrocodone was only caught after selling the stolen pills to an undercover police employee.

 

Family members concerned about their loved ones’ powerful pain medications going missing should remain vigilant and become as involved as possible in the daily care and medication routines at the nursing home.  A caring, involved family is a big deterrent to neglect, abuse, and theft in a home or long term care facility.

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Importance of safe driving stressed to Fairfax County teens

A crash occurs in Fairfax County every 16 minutes, and the majority of these crashes are caused by distracted drivers.  In addition, there are around 1,000 fatal car accidents across Virginia each year.  Fairfax county teens are taking notice of theses statistics and are trying to do something to help reduce the numbers.

 

The members of a group called Youth Against Dangerous Activities and Peer Pressure (YADAPP) held a “Crash Course” highlighting the dangers and distractions faced by teen drivers in the Fairfax County area.

 

The talk was given in Reston and included guest speaker Officer Katy Fernbacher, a Reston crime prevention officer from the Fairfax County Police office.  Officer Fernbacher stressed the dangers facing teens like alcohol, loud music, and cell phone use.  She encouraged teen drivers to slow down and pay attention when they are behind the wheel.

 

The event attracted many teens, some of whom were not old enough to drive.  Event organizers hoped that accidents can be prevented by educating teens before they get their license.  The event also stressed the importance of seat-belt use.  About 58 percent of teens killed in car accidents were not wearing their seatbelts; many of their lives could have been saved if they had chosen to buckle up.

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Bus driver charged in major I-66 holiday weekend crash

A charter bus driver has been charged for his role in a chain-reaction crash that shut down westbound Interstate 66 during the Friday holiday weekend late afternoon travel time.  Thirty seven people were injured as a result of the crash and I-66 remained closed for about three and a half hours creating a 12 mile backup.

 

The charter bus was one of three returning to Harrisonburg VA with elementary school students and staff after a trip to the Smithsonian.  The accident happened when the driver of the last of the buses failed to use his brakes in time and crashed into the back of one of the other buses.

 

The initial impact caused a chain reaction.  The second bus then hit an SUV, and the SUV hit the lead bus.  The SUV driver and passenger were not injured in the accident, but 37 students and staff members had to be treated at Inova Fairfax and Inova Fair Oaks hospitals for minor injuries.

 

Virginia State Police charged the driver who initiated the chain-reaction crash, Clinton E. Shilling of Staunton, with following too closely.  The driver claims he was momentarily distracted by a roadside incident.

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Workers’ comp case muddied by injured worker’s drug use

A Virginia coal company employee injured on the job tried to file for workers’ compensation after a workplace accident but was blocked by his employer.  Why?  Because the employee had been taking methadone at the time he was injured.

 

The employee claimed he was only taking methadone under a doctor’s supervision and use of the drug had nothing to do with his accident.  His employer claimed that they did not have to pay for workers’ compensation because the man was taking a “nonprescribed controlled substance”. 

 

During a hearing about the matter the man confessed that he was taking the methadone illegally.  It turns out he had lied to his doctor by telling him that he was addicted to several drugs to get the doctor to prescribe methadone.  The man planned to use the methadone for pain relief.

 

The deputy commissioner in the case determined that even though the man was taking methadone illegally, it had nothing to do with what caused his workplace accident.  This means that the man’s claim could not be invalidated, and the full commission upheld the award of benefits.

 

The employer appealed the decision but did not win.  Essentially the commission ruled that an employer must prove that an employee’s drug use contributed to his accident.  Simply being under the influence of a controlled substance is alone not grounds to deny workers’ comp benefits in Virginia.

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VDOT’s safety study of Route 3 is done

The results of a recently completed safety assessment of Route 3 will be announced next week.  The study, conducted by the Virginia Department of Transportation, was conducted so VDOT could determine what safety improvements could be made to Rt. 3 west of Stevensburg.

 

Three motor vehicle crashes in the last two years have claimed a total of 6 lives on Route 3.  The most recent was this past March, when four people were killed when struck head-on by an SUV.  The driver of the SUV was believed to be intoxicated and was driving on the wrong side of the road when he hit a sedan and killed the four individuals.

 

VDOT has already listed a few safety measures that may be implemented in an attempt to make Route 3 safer.  These include flashing lights, a center-line rumble strip, and better warning signage.

 

However, officials have indicated that while they can make road improvements the greatest danger on Route 3 is from distracted or unsafe drivers.

 

The results will be shared in a public meeting at VDOT’s Culpeper District Headquarters on Tuesday May 19th at 7pm.  The Headquarters are located at 1601 Orange Road.

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Virginia gubernatorial candidate in weekend car accident

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh “Cree” Deeds rear-ended another car this past weekend on his way back from a rally.  The Democratic Virginia senator was driving home from a campaign event in Fredericksburg when the auto accident happened.

 

Deeds was driving his 2002 Ford Explorer when he hit the other car on State Route 22 between Louisa and Mineral.  Both Deeds and the two occupants of the other car were taken to a Charlottesville hospital to be treated.  All were released without issue.  Deeds’ vehicle was left in Louisa to repair the minor damage.

 

As a result of the vehicle accident, Louisa County Sheriff’s Department cited Deeds for following too closely.  He received a $30 ticket.

 

Deeds normally uses a driver to travel to and from campaign events, but he did not have a driver last weekend as he was driving home himself to celebrate Mother’s Day with his family.  He called the occupants of the vehicle he hit the next day to make sure they were okay.

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Lack of nursing home contract oversight can cause confusion

Sometimes a nursing home is a must for some families who are unable to provide the level of care required by their aging loved one.  However, finding the right home and making sense of all the paperwork that has to be signed can be very confusing.

 

Compounding the confusion is the fact that there are no state or federal regulations to govern billing practices in some private nursing home facilities.  This means that there are no limitations on what a private nursing home can charge for care.

 

In some cases family members have been shocked to be billed for weeks or days of care after their loved one died, all justified by the nursing home as per the contract.

 

When searching for the right nursing home experts advise families to have an attorney review the nursing home contract before you sign it.  While the fee for such a review may seem pricey, it could save you a great deal of money and heartache in the end.

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Northern Virginia test drive ends in serious accident

Two men had to be airlifted to Fairfax Inova Hospital after a serious car accident in Front Royal.  The men, Ronald Foreman, 23 and his unidentified companion, were test driving a 2003 Mazda 6 from Front Royal Auto Center when the accident happened.

 

It is not known if Foreman, a Stephens City resident, or the other occupant was driving the car at the time of the crash.  The accident happened in the early afternoon on Tuesday at the point where Andrews Road merges with Bucks Mill Road.

 

Whoever was driving the car went straight through the turn, hit an embankment, and then crashed head-on into a tree.  One man was on the ground outside of the vehicle when fire and rescue arrived.  It is not known if the man was thrown from the car or if he crawled out.

 

According to Virginia State Police both men hit the windshield in the crash, and neither was wearing a seatbelt.  As a result of the accident, one man suffered leg injuries and the other suffered head injuries.  No further information about their condition is known.

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Virginia lawmakers target distracted drivers

In an effort to combat the dangerous effects of distracted driving, Virginia officials have named April 29 Virginia Distracted Driver Awareness Day.  Distracted driving is a major issue for Virginia law enforcement officials and indeed across the country.  Studies estimate that distracted drivers account for up to 80 percent of all motor vehicle accidents.

 

It does not take long for accidents to happen – a quick glance away from the road to fiddle with radio buttons can be enough to lead to a tragic accident.  And if you think that hands free devices are making you a safer driver – think again.  Researchers have discovered that it isn’t the way that a conversation takes place, it is the conversation itself that is the problem.  So those bumper stickers are right – when you get behind the wheel, it is time to hang up and drive.

 

Various organizations like AAA Mid-Atlantic, DRIVE SMART Virginia, DMV, The Virginia Highway Safety Office, and the Virginia State Police have come together in an effort to spread the word that driving while distracted can be deadly.

 

Governor Tim Kaine declared April 29 Virginia Distracted Driver Awareness Day, and highlighted his commitment to cracking down on distracting activities by signing a bill into law that will ban text messaging while driving.  The bill will take effect on July 1.

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Woman killed in Fairfax County crash on Interstate 495

A woman was killed on Interstate 495 Sunday in an unusual highway accident.  The 22 year old woman, Ann Unmongkol-Thavong of Lorton, overturned her can near the Telegraph Road exit around 4:30am.

 

Witnesses said that she escaped the overturned Honda Accord by crawling out of the vehicle.  She then sat in a traffic lane.  She was struck by a 55 year old man driving a Nissan Versa a minute later.

 

The driver, from Charlotte North Carolina, was taken to Fairfax INOVA Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Unmongkol-Thavong died at the scene of the accident.

 

Police are investigating both crashes and no charges have yet been filed.

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One killed, five injured in fatal Beltway car accident

An early Monday morning accident resulted in the death of one person and injury to five others.  The driver of a sport-utility vehicle crashed into the center divider on the Capital Beltway around 3am.  The collision killed a 19 year old Alexandria woman, and the driver and four other vehicle occupants were seriously injured.

 

The crash happened while the SUV driver was traveling on the inner loop near Rt. 1 in Prince George’s county.  The driver lost control of the SUV and collided with the center median, flipping the SUV.  When the SUV landed on its roof, two of the six people inside were ejected.  The 19 year old woman died at the scene, and the remaining vehicle occupants were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

 

As a result of the crash authorities shut down all lanes of the Beltway inner loop.  It remained closed for four hours.  That, plus the closure of I-95 South where it merges with the beltway caused major early morning traffic jams.

 

Alcohol is suspected to have been a factor in the crash, and it is unknown if the individuals thrown from the SUV were wearing seatbelts.  The victims have not yet been identified by police as their families had yet to be notified, but according to police all had Virginia addresses.

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Culpeper man sentenced after alcohol-related crash injures police officer

A Culpeper man who pleaded guilty in December of maiming a police officer as a result of driving while intoxicated and felony hit and run was sentenced this week.  The accident, which happened on March 15, 2008, seriously injured an off-duty police officer.

 

The driver, Santos Obidio Arita Najera, 31, injured the officer when he crossed solid double yellow lines and crashed into him.  Arita Najera was driving a 2004 Toyota Tacoma truck when he hit the officer, Prince William Police Lt. Phillip E. Harrover Jr., who was riding a 2006 Kawasaki motorcycle.  The collision caused Harrover to be thrown from his motorcycle into a 2003 Jeep Wrangler.

 

Arita Najera tried to flee the scene of the accident but was stopped by other drivers on the road.  The man, a Honduran national, was in the U.S. illegally.  A judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison with five and half years suspended.  The sentence was more than Virginia’s voluntary sentencing guidelines called for.

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Culpeper car crash claims four lives

Route 3 near Stevensburg in Culpeper County, Virginia was the site of a deadly accident early Sunday morning.  According to a Virginia State Police spokesman, an SUV driver headed the wrong way on Rt. 3 when it collided head on with a sedan.  As a result of the crash the highway had to be closed for six hours while police investigated and cleaned up the scene.

 

The SUV driver, Eugene T. Green, 29, of Culpeper, was taken to Mary Washington Hospital to be treated.  He was not wearing a seat belt when the accident occurred, and his condition is unknown.

 

The victims of the collision were identified as Tyler Scott Harlow, 20, of Ruckersville; Joseph Lee Shanow, 20, of Ruckersville; Tianna V. Jones, 19, of Stanardsville; and James B. Cook, 21, of Marshall, Vt.  All four victims died at the scene of the accident, about a tenth of a mile east of Rt. 739.

 

Two of the victims were wearing seat belts when the accident happened, and two were not.  There was a fifth person in the sedan, Howard John Steiniger, 27, of Fredericksburg.  He was taken to Mary Washington Hospital and later transferred to a Richmond area hospital.  His condition is unknown.

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Culpeper police warn of drunk driving dangers

St. Patrick’s Day is a good time for Culpeper police to remind residents about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.  This year, police had extra officers patrolling for drunk drivers while they also stressed the importance of having a designated driver.

 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), statistics show that 851 people have died in crashes the last five years during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. About 327 were killed by drivers with an alcohol level .08 or higher.

 

Police remind residents that it is always risky to drive while intoxicated or to accept a ride from somebody who is intoxicated.  Nationwide, more than 41,000 people died in accidents each year and nearly 13,000 of them died due to someone who was legally drunk.

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Serious car accident on Dulles Greenway

An early morning accident on the Dulles Greenway last week caused serious traffic backups near the Waxpool Road overpass.  A Leesburg man, Daniel F. Wiener, 63, caused the accident when the vehicle he was driving crashed and overturned into the eastbound lanes of the roadway.  Wiener suffered a medical emergency which led to the accident.

 

The victim was transported to INOVA Fairfax Hospital via a Medevac helicopter.  At the time, Wiener’s injuries did not seem life-threatening although he did have to be hospitalized.  There were no other passengers in the car, a 2005 Honda Pilot, at the time of the crash.

 

Traffic was tied up when the eastbound lanes of the Greenway were closed for nearly two hours.  No charges were filed as a result of the accident. 

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Proposed Senate Bill Aims to Protect Elderly from Abuse

As the Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Herb Kohl (D., Wis.) has introduced legislation aimed at protecting nursing home and long-term care facility residents from abuse by known offenders.

 

The legislation would require the creation of a national database to share information about the criminal records of potential employees across states.  Right now, there is no centralized system for nursing homes or other facilities to use to confirm that potential employees have a clean criminal record.

 

Sen. Kohl is hoping to avoid the fate of nursing home residents who have been raped or harmed by  caregivers with a criminal record.  A seven-state trial program revealed 7,000 applicants for elder care positions who had a violent criminal record or a substantiated history of abuse.

 

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the cost of the plan will be $100 million over three years.

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Driving while texting soon to be illegal in Virginia

The Virginia House and Senate have both passed House Bill 1876 which would make it illegal for drivers to send or read text messages while driving.  All that remains for the bill to become law is for Governor Tim Kaine to sign it.

 

Lawmakers responded to popular pressure to pass a law against the use of handheld devices by Virginia drivers.  A bill that would have banned cell phone use did not pass, but the text message bill survived.

 

The bill is supported by research shows that drivers using a cell phone are just as impaired as intoxicated drivers.  With the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers on the rise across the country, many states are taking action and trying to make the use of handheld devices illegal.

 

While the bill bans texting while driving, it does provide an exception for the use of global positioning systems (GPS), reading caller identification information, and using a wireless telecommunications device to report an emergency.

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Culpeper resident succumbs to injuries sustained in car accident

A man who stepped out in front of a vehicle succumbed to his injuries at the University of Virginia Medical Center after 7 weeks in a coma.  Culpeper resident Roger “Lee” Hitt, 75, stepped in front of a 1992 Ford Explorer on the afternoon of January 5, 2009.

 

The driver of the Ford Explorer was traveling at about 25 miles per hour and did not have time to stop.  No charges were filed against the driver because the fault of the accident was the pedestrian’s actions.

 

Sadly, Hitt suffered serious head injuries when he was hit by the vehicle on North Main Street, north of Mountain Run Bridge.  A long time Culpeper resident, he will be missed by town residents.

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Virginia DOT to cut rest area parking to save transportation dollars

Virginia’s transportation budget shortfall has claimed another victim: rest area parking spaces.  In order to save an estimated $12 million per year in maintenance costs, the state plans to close 54% of the available parking spots in rest areas across the state.  This would reduce the number of available parking spaces from a current 770 down to 358.

 

The move is controversial for truck drivers and safety advocates who fear that reducing the number of places for truck drivers to stop and rest while traveling Virginia’s highways will result in more tractor trailer accidents.  Especially problematic is the claim that most of the major truck stops in Virginia are already overflowing after dark, leaving truck drivers with few places to stop and rest.

 

Public meetings are planned in March, when residents will have a chance to speak up about the proposed cut.  The Commonwealth Transportation Board will vote on the proposal in June.

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Virginia teen accused of drunk driving appeared before judge

A seventeen-year-old boy accused of driving drunk three months ago in an incident that resulted in the death of two women has faced a judge.  A passenger in the teen’s car, a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the driver of the other vehicle both survived the crash.

 

Kyle Woisard, a student at Chantilly High School, was charged with aggravated DWI manslaughter after driving the wrong way down I-66 near the Washington Boulevard overpass in Arlington and crashing headfirst into a 2003 Toyota Corolla.  Woisard appeared at the courthouse on crutches, suffering from injuries as a result of the deadly accident. 

 

His blood was tested for alcohol and drugs and he will be back in court soon as prosecutors argue that he should be tried as an adult.  Additional details about his case are still confidential. 

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Virginia Seeks Shovel Ready Road Projects in Anticipation of Stimulus Approval

In 2007, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority compiled a list of ready-to-go projects in 2007.  While the list has been more or less gathering dust since it was put together, it may actually come in handy if the stimulus package circulating in Washington DC gets approved.

 

If the stimulus package is approved, Virginia stands to receive as much as $800 million in transportation funding.  The money would be used to fill part of the void left in this year’s transportation budget.  The budget shortfall is a major issue for Virginia, where many roads need improvement to reduce the number of auto accidents and crashes.

 

A provision of the bill requires that the funds be allocated towards transportation projects quickly or else the money will be lost.  Because of this, state lawmakers are working hard to compile a list of “shovel-ready” road projects.  Shovel ready projects are those that can be started as soon as funding is received.

 

Although $800 million sounds like a lot of money to most people, it won’t go far in Virginia.  Tiny Arlington County has about $500 million in needed road projects, $100 million of which are ready to go now.  And considering the enormous burden of commuter traffic in Northern Virginia alone, it is going to be a challenge for lawmakers to find a way to fairly distribute funds throughout the state.

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Will change to Virginia red light camera law put you at risk?

A bill introduced in the Virginia General Assembly seeks to make it easier for cities to install red light cameras at troublesome intersections.  Critics contend that red light cameras are installed more as a revenue generator than a safety measure.  Some cities have also been accused of short-timing yellow lights to increase the number of red light tickets, thereby increasing their profit.

 

The bill before the General Assembly would remove the three words “for final approval” from the Virginia Code Section 15.2-968.1(J) which currently reads, “A locality shall submit a list of intersections to the Virginia Department of Transportation for final approval.”  Without those three words, cities will not have to seek approval for their new red light cameras, which at this time involves a detailed engineering justification.

 

Several cities have had their proposals for red light cameras refused by VDOT, but if this bill passes then VDOT will no longer have the power to prevent unsafe red light projects from going forward.

 

Red light cameras are controversial, as they have been shown in several studies to increase the number of accidents at intersections.  In addition, some cities reduced the length of the yellow light at intersections, ostensibly to increase the number of red light runners and thereby produce a greater profit from camera tickets.

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Culpeper automobile vandal nabbed with DNA evidence

The mysterious case of an outbreak of vandalism cases in Culpeper was solved with the examination of DNA evidence found on the damaged vehicles.  Last summer, several cars were damaged when a vandal slashed the tires, broke windows, and damaged the ignition in at least one car.

 

Culpeper detectives were not optimistic about bringing charges against the perpetrator, until it was discovered that the vandals had left behind their genetic footprint in the form of blood and other DNA evidence.  A 17 year old boy was suspected of the crimes, but it was not until his identity was confirmed through the DNA evidence that they were able to bring six juvenile petitions against him and charge him with misdemeanor destruction of property.

 

According to authorities the damage totaled thousands of dollars, and now that there is evidence against the 17 year old the case will proceed to court.  Detectives credited sound evidence collection and scientific evaluation with helping solve the case.

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Will the VDOT bailout make Culpeper and Warrenton roads safer?

Officials at Virginia’s Department of Transportation are hoping that a massive $800 billion economic recovery spending plan will help them with their budget shortfall.  VDOT is hoping for $700 to $800 million.  According to officials, the money would not be used for new projects but would instead be used to replace or repair bridges or perform highway maintenance.

 

The economic package has not been approved in Washington DC yet, and VDOT’s spokesperson is reluctant to say what projects will be affected and how the money will impact Culpeper or Warrenton area roads and infrastructure.

 

Virginia is facing a $3.2 billion budget shortfall this year, which means that the highway transportation budget isn’t the only thing affected – but it is of great concern to residents worried about the state of local roads.  However, officials have tried to reassure residents that the roads and bridges are safe, even if they have been targeted for repair or maintenance work. VDOT inspects the 20,879 bridges in the Commonwealth at least once every 2 years.

 

According to the version of the bailout bill in the House, at least 50 percent of a state’s funding must be under contract within 120 days, with the remainder obligated by August 1, 2010.  Despite the tight deadline, there is no word on how the money would be spent across Virginia.

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Local Hospitals and Roads Prepare for Inauguration Week Overload

It might be a good idea for local motorists to stay off the roads next week, if at all possible.  Inauguration week is expected to be extremely busy, and adding an influx of out-of-state drivers to our area’s already busy roads could translate to more car accidents and injuries and busier hospitals.

 

With over a million people expected to stream into Northern Virginia and surrounding areas next week for the inauguration of President Elect Barack Obama, local officials are getting “ready for anything”.  This includes preparing local hospitals for an influx of patients and being ready with road services for all the extra motorists.

 

Greater Washington Area Emergency Services has been planning for inauguration week with Northern Virginia Hospital Alliance leaders.  Local hospitals want to be ready in case of an emergency during the inauguration.

 

In addition to preparing hospitals for the busy week, local officials have also been working together on road plans.  Record levels of traffic are expected next week, and even though access to the District won’t be possible from Virginia there will still be plenty of motorists traveling the roads.

 

Authorities are making sure that stranded motorists will have access to special emergency roadside services.  As for Faquier County deputies and Warrenton police, they plan to provide additional support to the Virginia State Police.

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Culpeper woman charged with DUI while driving with toddler

A Culpeper, VA woman driving with her toddler in the car has been charged with driving under the influence.  If convicted, the woman could be charged with a minimum fine of $500 and a mandatory sentence of 5 days in jail for driving under the influence with a child under the age of 17.

 

The woman, Teri Marie Taylor (age 22), was stopped by police in Culpeper when an officer noticed her Lexus moving erratically.  The officer also noted that two of the vehicle’s lights were not working.

 

According to police, the woman failed several field sobriety tests after being pulled over.  In addition to the DUI she was given two traffic citations for defective equipment.

 

While Taylor was taken to a magistrate her nearly 2 year old daughter was placed in custody of a family friend.  Taylor was jailed on $1,000 bond.

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Water Main Bursts After Crash in Windsor

A vehicle slid off the highway in Windsor and crashed into a water main just east of the town limits along U.S. Route 460.  Utility workers were called to repair the broken pipe, which had ruptured.

According to police spokeswoman Sgt. Michelle Cotten, Virginia State Police were called to the crash scene that occurred at 12484 Windsor Blvd., at approximately 9:28 AM.  Cotten said that the 2003 Ford Expedition involved in the crash had extensive damage after it veered off the highway, smashed into a mailbox, went down an embankment, hit a guide wire for a telephone pole and eventually crashed into the pole.

The evidence of the crash seems to indicate that the Ford Expedition was traveling eastbound on U.S. Route 460.

At some point during the crash, the Ford Expedition also hit a blowoff valve, which is a 4-inch pipe that sticks out of the ground and permits periodic flushing of the underground water main.  The driver of the vehicle, Alan Willis from Wakefield, was given a citation for reckless driving and he suffered only minor injures from the accident, according to Cotten.

An alert regarding the accident was issued by Isle of Wight County officials at approximately 11:00 AM that warned the public that the right eastbound lane of U.S. Route 460 had been closed.

Suffolk-based Art-Ray Corp. workers made repairs to the water main.  During the repairs, workers from the county and the Virginia Department of Transportation were also present.

According to an employee from the county’s engineering department, who did not want to be identified in the article, the water main was a 16-inch pipe, located 3 feet underground and constructed in 2002.  He described that accident as a “freak occurrence.”

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Virginia Resident Thanks Dr. Oz for Help After Accident

Stanley Tatum, a Hampton Roads resident, was injured in a crash in Virginia Beach last week.  According to Tatum, he was bleeding and looked up to see a doctor who had come to his aid.  However, it wasn’t just any doctor.

Dr. Mehmet Oz told “Good Morning America” that Tatum “looked over and said, ‘You’re Dr. Oz.’  He said, wait a minute, I’ve got to call my mom.”  Oz appeared on the morning show and talked with Roberts about the incident.  Tatum was on the phone.

Oz is a surgeon and author who is a frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show.  According to Oprah.com, “Dr. Oz is vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. His research interests include heart replacement surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, complementary medicine and healthcare policy. He has authored over 400 original publications, book chapters and medical books and has received several patents.”  He has been referred to as America’s Doctor.

The accident occurred on Interstate 64 on Friday, according to WVEC-TV.  At the time of the crash, Tatum was the passenger in a truck that collided with another vehicle.  The other man in the truck was also injured, but both men’s injuries were not life threatening.

Oz witnessed the accident in his rear-view mirror and stopped to offer assistance.  He was able to stop the bleeding from Tatum’s leg and on the other man’s face, WVEC-TV reported. 

WVEC-TV also reported that Oz was on his way to the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach.

“I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You don’t just talk the talk, but you walk the walk also,” Tatum told Oz by phone.  Oz thanked Tatum for his comments on the show.

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Virginia Crash Kills a Hooksett Woman

Last week, Kamala St. Germain, a woman from Hooksett, New Hampshire, was fatally injured in a crash on Interstate 95.  The accident occurred on Monday, December, 1, 2008, according to Virginia State Police.

St. Germain, 75, was in her Honda traveling north on Interstate 95 when she was rear-ended by a 2001 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Warren Lucas Tomlinson Jr., 64, from Emporia.  The accident took place near Mile Marker 44, the Progess-Index of Petersburg, Virginia, according to a report.

The Honda became wedged underneath the tractor-trailer when it caught fire.  The accident closed northbound lanes of I-95 for approximately seven hours.

St. Germain was an ordained minister and had earned a doctorate in divinity from the Universal Life Church.  She was the founder of DoveStar School of Holistic Technology and had completed a three-month yoga teaching program at the Shivananda Yoga Center in Val Morin, Quebec.  St. Germain taught yoga and massage internationally for 44 years.  “She was just the most serene, spiritual person you could ever meet.  She was always calm; she just had a motherly presence about her,” said massage therapist Deanna Raymond of Brentwood.

St. Germain was also a certified clinical hypnotherapist, an astrologer, a licensed massage therapist, a Reiki master teacher and a practitioner of colon hydrotherapy.  In addition, she taught and lectured on holistic health at the collegiate level, on radio and television, locally and internationally since 1965 and authored many published articles.  She had five children, ten grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Employees at the DoveStar School would not comment on the crash or their reaction to hearing the news of St. Germain’s death.  According to Raymond, “she was everyone’s mentor.”  Raymond attended DoveStar School from 2003 to 2006 and took numerous massage therapy classes offered by St. Germain.

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Verbal Abuse Alleged at Assisted Living Facility

A state investigation discovered that an employee at the Caring and Sharing Home for Adults assisted living facility at 6008 Jefferson Avenue had been verbally abusing residents.  The employee was fired following the investigation that she abused residents by cursing at them, calling some of them “crack head,” borrowing money from them and selling food to them from her neighboring apartment.

Numerous residents at this assisted living facility are poor, have mental disabilities and depend on state money to live in the facility.

Caring and Sharing Home for Adults has had several violations since 2004, according to Virginia state records.  These violations make this facility one of the 20 percent of Virginia’s 583 assisted living facilities that had major compliance issues or verified complaints, according to a 2007 report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which is an investigative branch of the General Assembly.

At least once a year, two inspectors from the local state licensing division inspect Newport News’ approximately 50 assisted living facilities and adult homes.  Some facilities have inspections at least three times a year.

Caring and Sharing Home for Adults has had its share of inspections.  The facility has been inspected nine different times this year and five of those inspections were initiated because of complaints.    These inspections are higher than any other year since 2003.  Among the inspections in 2008 was one that took three days in July.

Complaints against Caring and Sharing Home were mainly anonymous and included such allegations as neglect to children living in the facility, spoiled food and verbal abuse.  It had been hard for inspectors to verify the complaints, until the verbal abuse incident by the employee.

After interviewing four residents, the state inspector discovered that the employee cursed at residents, told one resident, “You can eat second shift.  Get away from the table, it’s not your turn to eat,” and called a resident “crack head,” according to state records.  Residents also said that she was loud and rude and often borrowed money from them.

Scarlette Peeples, the administrator of the facility, would not comment on the violations.

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Holiday Brought Fewer Traffic Deaths in Virginia

According to State Police and Highway Patrol statistics, traffic deaths decreased dramatically over the Thanksgiving holiday in Virginia and North Carolina.

Last week, there were nine deaths in Virginia resulting from crashes that occurred between Wednesday and Sunday, which is significantly lower than last year.  In 2007, there were 19 fatalities during that same time period.  This year’s statistics are the lowest since 2002, when nine people were killed, said State Police.

In North Carolina, seven people were killed in crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday, which is also lower than the previous year when there were 21 fatalities.

The fatal accidents in Virginia occurred in Southampton, Rockingham, Fairfax, Carroll, Louisa, Powhatan, Prince William and Rockbridge counties, according to State Police.  Alcohol is believed to be a factor in two of the fatal crashes.

Authorities said that the crash in Carroll County involved a driver who was wanted in connection with a murder in Staunton.  The driver was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and possession of a firearm.  A state trooper was the one who discovered that the driver was wanted.

During the holiday, Virginia State Police issued 9,921 summonses for speeding, 2,810 for reckless driving, 188 for driving under the influence and 916 for not wearing seat belts.  North Carolina state troopers issued 18,477 speeding citations.

Traffic safety specialists have predicted that fewer miles traveled this year would result in fewer deaths and it appears that the numbers for Virginia and three other states appear to be in line with this prediction.

Commenting on trends observed earlier this year, AAA Mid-Atlantic stated last week that "as Americans began driving less, fewer people were being killed and injured in traffic crashes."

AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend said that initially, high gasoline prices caused a decline in the miles traveled, but later the number of miles declined due to motorists' worries about the economy.

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District Supervisor Injured in Auto Accident

Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerald Hyland was injured in a car accident last weekend while he traveled to his farm in Accomack County, Virginia.  According to a news release issued by his office, Hyland sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Hyland received injuries to his left leg and hip, which required surgery at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland on Monday, November 17.  It is anticipated that Hyland will stay at the hospital for several days while he recovers.  He is then expected to be transferred to another facility where he will participate in physical therapy for several weeks.  The news release said that Hyland was recuperating well.

The car accident occurred when Hyland was driving alone in his minivan and another vehicle struck him on the driver’s side, just behind the driver’s door.  There were no details of the crash, other than Hyland’s injuries, listed in the report from his office.

Inquires were made to Hyland’s office to find out more information about the accident, including the exact date, time and location of the crash, but these inquires were refused.  The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police were not able to verify any details of the collision.

As of last Tuesday, Hyland was not accepting any telephone calls to his hospital room.  However, the person who answered his phone said that he was out of the room and doing well.  Details of the surgery were not provided.

Despite Hyland’s injuries, the Mount Vernon District office is open and running.  According to the release, “he is in constant communications with his staff about Fairfax County business.”  Get well cards can be mailed to Hyland’s office at the Mount Vernon Government Center, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306-3273.

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Teens Mourn High School Students Killed in Car Accident

Last week, three teenagers from Green Run High School were killed in a tragic car crash.  The fatal accident occurred when their car hit a minivan on Salem Road in Virginia Beach.  Monday, November 17, 2008, was the first day back to school after the three teenagers were killed.  Green Run High School administrators took steps to help the high school students cope with their grief over the deaths of their fellow classmates.

Matthew Kirkbride, 18, Adam Sherman, 17 and Joseph Jenkins, 17, were fatally injured in the crash after the car they were traveling in crossed the center lane and collided into a minivan on Salem Road.  The three young men had just left the Virginia Beach technical and career education center where they took classes.

Virginia State Police have stated that Kirkbride was driving the car at the time of the accident, Jenkins was riding in the front seat with Kirkbride and Sherman was sitting in the back.  All three teens were wearing their seat belts, but the force of the collision was so severe, they were killed by the impact.

News quickly spread about the three deaths and students began bringing flowers and signs in remembrance of their friends and fellow classmates to the high school.  Many Green Run High School students said that everyone knew the three young men and the sudden loss of their lives will be felt not only by the senior class, but throughout the high school.

“I think tomorrow is just going to be a really quiet day, just…I think everybody’s just going to be sad and try to remember them,” said Caroline Hutto, a Green Run High School student.

Teen drivers are frequently involved in fatal car accidents.  Since the beginning of this year, there have been 77 teen fatalities caused by car accidents, compared with 92 deaths in 2007. 

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Car Crash Kills One and Injuries Four Other Victims

Last Saturday, November 15, 2008, a three-car crash in Albemarle County killed one person, while injuring four others.  The tragic accident took place at approximately 4:10 PM at 2420 Richmond Road, about one mile east of Interstate 64.

According to Albemarle County police, 63-year-old John Jarvis English of Charlottesville, was heading westbound on Route 250 when he veered into eastbound traffic.  He then side-swiped a vehicle and hit another vehicle head-on.

The five victims of the crash, including English, were transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center, were English was later pronounced dead.  The four other victims sustained serious injuries, none of which were life-threatening, according to Albemarle County police.

Police closed the 2400 block of Richmond Road for approximately two and a half hours to investigate the scene of the crash and to clear the debris.

Albemarle County police say the car crash may have been the result of a medical issue suffered by English.  A crash reconstruction team from Albemarle County is investigating the accident.

In 2007, 1,026 people were killed in 940 fatal car crashes in Virginia.  That same year, there were 49,138 personal injury crashes, which resulted in 68,822 injuries.  The 2007 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts report also gives various reasons for these car accidents, such as driver impairment, driving too close to the vehicle ahead, driver distraction, running a traffic control and speeding.  The age group, 21-25, made up the largest percentage of drivers involved in Virginia car accidents.  It was also reported that in 2007, there were 11,215 alcohol-related crashes, which accounted for approximately 7.7 percent of all crashes in Virginia.  There were 346 alcohol-related fatal crashes or 36.8 percent of all fatal crashes and 5,125 alcohol-related personal injury crashes or 10.4 percent of all personal injury crashes.

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Study Finds that 13% of Seniors are Mistreated

A recent study has reported that 13 percent of American seniors suffer mistreatment as a result of various forms of abuse.

The study was conducted by University of Chicago researchers who said that the main forms of abuse were verbal (9 percent), financial (3.5 percent) and physical (0.2 percent).  Researchers also discovered that seniors who had some type of physical impairment were most vulnerable to verbal abuse.

"Older people with any physical vulnerability are about 13 percent more likely than those without one to report verbal mistreatment, but are not more likely to report financial mistreatment," said study co-author Linda Waite, a professor of sociology, in a university news release.

The data studied was taken from 3,005 community-dwelling adults, ages 57 to 85.  Researchers found that adults in their late 50s and 60s are more likely to report verbal or financial abuse than those who are older.  This discrepancy is believed to be explained by the possibility that these seniors were including fairly routine arguments with their spouse, sibling or child in their reports or that older adults are more reticent to report negative behavior, according to lead author Edward Laumann, a professor of sociology.

Based on the study, women were twice as likely as men to report verbal abuse.  Hispanics were almost half as likely as whites to report verbal abuse and 78 percent less likely to report financial abuse.  African Americans were 77 percent more likely than whites to report financial abuse.

Among the study participants who reported verbal abuse, 26 percent said that their spouse or romantic partner was responsible, 15 percent said it was their children and the remainder said it was their friends, neighbors, co-workers or bosses.  For those that reported financial abuse, 57 percent said that a relative other than a spouse, parent or child was responsible.

This study was published in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

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Five Teens Died in Car Accidents during National Teen Driver Safety Week

Last week, five teenagers were killed in auto accidents across the state despite the fact that it was National Teen Driver Safety Week, which was observed by insurance officials, police and educators.

Three teens died on October 19, 2008, which was the first day of the National Teen Driver Safety Week.  The five deaths occurred in the counties of Amherst, Augusta, Gloucester, Lee and Loudoun.  A 15-year-old passenger, 16-year-old driver, two 17-year-old drivers and an 18-year-old passenger were among the victims, according to Virginia State Police.

Col. W. Steven Flaherty, state police superintendent, was quoted in an article as saying, “It is disheartening and frustrating to see such loss of life involving our young people.”

In this year alone, there have been 77 teen fatalities caused by car accidents, compared with 92 deaths in 2007.  The recent deaths are in contrast with insurance studies that show a decade-long decline in teen deaths that is attributed to graduated licensing laws and educational efforts.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety produced a study that showed that teen traffic deaths had declined from 9,940 in 1978 to a 30-year low of 5,156 in 2006.

The same study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also revealed that the traffic-related death rate for individuals ages 13 to 19 had dropped by 41 percent, from 29 to 17 per 100,000.  Russ Rader, an institute spokesman, commented that teen deaths and crashes have dramatically dropped over the last decade because many states, including Virginia, have passed graduated driver’s licensing laws.

In 2001, Virginia established a graduated license for teenagers after numerous deaths in auto accidents in Northern Virginia.  The law mandates that teenagers complete an approved driver education course and hold a learner’s permit for at least nine months, before applying for a Virginia driver’s license.  As an additional measure to protect teenagers, licensed teens under 18 are not allowed to drive between midnight and 4:00 AM.

More driver education programs are now focusing on students and parents.

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Settlement in Wrongful Death Case Reached

Earlier this month, details of the settlement in a $15 million wrongful death lawsuit involving the 2005 death of a Lynchburg man in the custody of the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office were revealed in court.

Melva Taylor Davis, the mother of Sanchez Taylor, and his two brothers will equally share the $325,000 settlement, according to court testimony.  As a condition of the settlement, the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office admits no wrongdoing or liability in Taylor’s death.

According to Davis’ attorney, Arelia Langhorne, “The court is aware that this case is highly contested. That has been one of the most challenging cases in my 32-year career.”

Langhorne and Carlene Johnson, the attorney representing the deputies involved in the arrest, both felt that the settlement was fair.  Judge Norman Moon agreed and accepted the settlement terms.

The Virginia Office of Risk Management, which insures law enforcement officers against this type of action, will be in charge of paying the settlement money.

Sanchez Taylor, who was 28 years old at the time of the incident, died on June 16, 2005 after a confrontation with Amherst County deputies.  After Taylor’s vehicle was found abandoned in a northbound lane on U.S. 29, police officers responded to an alert of a break-in at nearby Bethel Welding.

According to statements filed in court, Deputies Darren Givens and Debbie Tinnell discovered Taylor at the back of the welding shop and attempted to arrest him.  The deputies claim that Taylor refused to follow their orders to get on the ground and they had to handcuff him while he was lying on a ladder behind the shop.  They tried to move Taylor, but could only get him a few feet away from some ornamental racks.

Two more deputies arrived at the scene and helped control Taylor, who was still putting up a fight.  The officers put him on the ground and later noticed that he was having trouble breathing and it appeared that he was having a seizure.  A few hours later, Taylor died at Lynchburg General Hospital.

Davis believes that the police officers held her son on the ladder and racks, which caused suffocation.  Medical experts hired by the sheriff’s office alleged that Taylor’s death was accidental.  However, the state medical examiner in Roanoke reported that Taylor’s death was a homicide.

The four police officers involved in the federal lawsuit were cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.

 

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Accidents on Va. 151

Last year was the worst year in a decade, when it comes to fatalities, for motorists traveling the 18-mile stretch of Va. 151 in Nelson County from Route 833 near Brent’s Gap to Route 250 near Avon.  As the number of vehicles increases on this section of Va. 151, so do the number of accidents.  It is estimated that in one section of the highway, a crash occurs on average every 318 feet.

Many Nelson County residents and businesses are located in this area, which use this stretch of highway.  Almost 60 motor vehicle accidents occur each year along this road causing 30 injuries and at least one fatality.  It wasn’t until the four deaths that occurred on Va. 151 last year that safety advocates started to pursue safety measures for the highway, including lower speed limits and increased traffic enforcement.   As a result, only 13 accidents have occurred on Va. 151 this year, as of July 30.

Before last year, the six-mile stretch between the intersection of Va. 151 and Route 6 West and the intersection of Va. 151 and Route 6 East was considered the most dangerous part of the highway.

Even though these recent changes have decreased the number of accidents, the volume of vehicles on the road didn’t happen overnight. 

Tommy Harvey, a local resident and business owner, said that in the past 20 years, he could only remember 10 or fewer new entrances being built on Va. 151 from the intersection of Route 6 to Virginia 250.  His business has been located on the corner of Va. 151 and Virginia 840 since 1974.  Harvey said that his business has increased drastically over the years.

Harvey stated that most of the accidents on Va. 151 happen when a motorist stops to make a turn.  He has witnessed people turning right in front of someone into his station.

Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks said that the highway is a busy route with the majority of traffic coming to and from Wintergreen.  He said there has been a major difference between this year and last when it comes to accidents.

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Henrico Car Crash Kills Driver

Police believe that the driver killed in last week’s crash in Henrico was speeding down Pouncey Tract Road near Shady Grove Road in western Henrico County.  The driver was killed early Saturday, October 11, 2008 when his vehicle crashed into two electrical poles and caught fire.

The car accident resulted in a predawn power outage for approximately 3,400 Dominion Virginia Power customers nearby, which lasted about 30 minutes.  Pouncey Tract Road was closed until around 10:30 AM while police officers investigated the crash.

“There was no pursuit of any kind,” said Lt. Doug Barker.  Barker said that a police officer saw the car speeding and the officer pulled out to drive after it.  When the police officer caught up to the other vehicle, it had already crashed and was fully engulfed in flames, which prevented the police officer from being able to rescue the driver.  Unfortunately, the driver was killed and burned beyond recognition in the 4:23 AM crash.

It is still not clear which direction the driver was heading or where the police officer was positioned.  To date, the make and model of the vehicle has not been released to the public.  The driver’s body was taken to the state medical examiner’s office.

Dominion Virginia Power spokesman Richard Zuercher said the vehicle struck two electrical poles, which ultimately cut off power to 3,389 Dominion Virginia Power customers.  Power was restored, however, within 30 minutes of the crash to all but 39 customers.  The rest of the community received its power by 6:25 PM, Zuercher explained.

According to Dominion Virginia Power’s website, it is one of the country’s 10 largest investor-owned electric utility companies.  Dominion Virginia Power provides power to more than 2 million homes and businesses in Virginia and North Carolina.  Service areas include the region from Northern Virginia to northeastern North Carolina.

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Fairfax County Police Worried About Motorcycle Traffic

There have already been three motorcycle fatalities in Fairfax County this year.  Fairfax County Police are worried about the potential safety issue that may arise when motorcycles are driven on roadways by inexperienced drivers.  According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, motorcycle rider behavior and inexperience contributed to 80 percent of the 126 motorcycle deaths in Virginia last year.

This last summer, Scott Norman, a husband and father of two young children, lost control of his 2008 Suzuki on Herndon Parkway and slammed into a barrier.  He was killed instantly.  The police report states that he was traveling an estimated 77 miles per hour, which is more than twice the posted speed limit.  Norman’s death was one of three this year.

Last month, Ryan Andrew, a 26-year old man from Centreville, lost control of his 2001 Honda and hit a curb on Fairview Park Drive in McLean.  Andrew was thrown from his motorcycle, hit a tree and was killed.

Six months before that incident, Larry Schuler, a 44-year old man from Lorton, was making a right turn from Clay Spur Court onto Sunset Ridge Road in Centreville when he hit a parked car and ultimately died from his injuries.

Fairfax Traffic Safety Specialist Master Police Officer Bob Barton said "we are seeing a surge in people, some more experienced than others, commuting by moped, scooters and motorcycles, which can create safety concerns when mixing with other vehicles."

Fairfax County Police believe that higher gas prices are causing more people to use motorcycles instead of cars and trucks as these two-wheeled vehicles are more fuel-efficient.  This trend has been seen across the country.

Fairfax Police have published an educational brochure on its website for motorcycle riders.  The brochure is available at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.  There are also organizations that offer driver education, such as APEX Cycle Education, a private company that teaches motorcycle riders to properly ride.

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Virginia State Police Trooper Continues to Recover From Drunk Driving Accident

Virginia State Police Trooper Kris Chapman continues to recover from injuries sustained from a drunk driving accident.  His vehicle was struck on the side of Interstate 81 at Seven Mile Ford last winter.  The accident made him the first of eight troopers hit in 2008, as they worked on the sides of the highways.

The accident occurred when Chapman had stopped another driver for a traffic violation and was parked on the right shoulder of I-81’s southbound lanes. Barry Dean Marshall, the driver who hit Chapman, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and public intoxication.

Chapman is speaking up to encourage Virginia drivers.  He recently recorded the audio for one of two public service announcements at the Marion radio station WMEV. The purpose of the campaign is to get drivers to follow a Virginia law that requires them to move into the lane away from stopped law enforcement officers and emergency responders.  The Virginia legislation is known as the Move Over law.

In the public service announcement, Chapman tells his story as a voice over during a video that shows pictures of him.  One of the photos shows his cruiser after it was smashed in the February crash. During the announcement Chapman says, “I was hit by a drunk driver in February of this year.  This accident could have been prevented if this driver was not drinking and driving and obeying Virginia’s Move Over law.”  He goes on to talk about the troopers that have been hit this year and reminds drivers of what they should do if they see emergency vehicles stopped on the shoulder of the highway.

The video version of the public service announcement can be viewed at a VSP exhibit at the Virginia State Fair that is scheduled to end October 5.  The video can also be viewed on the Virginia State Police’s website.

State troopers are more concerned about being hit by other vehicles than they are of bullets. 

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Drivers With Prior DWI Convictions Pose Greatest Risk of Fatal Crashes

Last month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its annual traffic safety assessment for 2007. The report shows a remarkable 3.7% decrease in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities since last year but revealed a startling trend among the nation's most dangerous offenders.
The encouraging 3.7% drop is owed to a number of factors including the diligence of law enforcement and the effectiveness of our court system in appropriately sanctioning social drinkers arrested for drunk driving. In addition, awareness groups have become increasingly innovative in promoting the message of zero tolerance for impaired driving and the importance of designated drivers.
Unfortunately, traditional sanctions have little effect on drivers with a prior DWI conviction and those whose blood alcohol content (BAC) is .15 or above. Research has proven these high-risk drivers to be unresponsive to general and legal deterrence. This year's NHTSA assessment validates these findings.
The number of fatal crashes involving impaired drivers with a prior DWI conviction remained unchanged from the year before, and half of all impaired drivers involved in these crashes had a BAC of .16 or above, just shy of the 2006 mark.

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Woman Dies In Weekend Motorcycle Crash

A Saturday evening motorcycle crash has claimed the life of a Virginia Beach woman. E. Carla Mitchell, 43, has been identified as the fatal victim. The accident happened on Saturday, September 20, shortly before 8:00 p.m. in the 2100 block of Princess Anne Road.

 Police say Mitchell was traveling southbound on Princess Anne Road on her 2005 custom trike (three-wheeled) motorcycle when she veered off the right-hand side of the road, sending her airborne. The motorcycle then flipped, ejecting Mitchell from trike. Mitchell was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.  She was flown to a local hospital via Nightingale, where she later died of her injuries.

It has not been determined whether or not alcohol was a factor in this crash. The accident remains under investigation.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Announces Nationwide Initiative to Check Child Safety Seats

Parents will be able to have their children’s car seats checked to make sure they are properly installed this Saturday at 400 locations nationwide as part of a new national campaign to improve child safety, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced today during a visit to one of the planned inspection sites.

“As any EMT, policeman or fire official will tell you, a properly installed child safety seat could mean the difference between life and death,” Secretary Peters said. “I know America’s parents are busy, but a few minutes of your time tomorrow could save you a lifetime of regret.”

On Saturday, certified inspectors will be on hand at 400 inspection stations across the country to examine child safety seats free of charge. The Secretary also said that starting next week, the Department would launch a new education campaign designed to get parents to use new latch technology to install child seats in motor vehicles. The latches make it easier to use when installing child seats, she added.

Secretary Peters noted that child restraints are effective, but only when they’re correctly installed. Last year, 98 percent of America’s infants were regularly restrained in vehicles. However, she said, seven out of 10 child safety seats are not installed correctly.

When properly used, child restraint systems reduce fatalities by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars, she added.

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Virginia Abduction, Robbery Ends in Fatal Car Crash

Prince William County police say they have obtained warrants for one of two suspects in the abduction of an Alexandria woman who died in a car crash.

 

Officials say 19-year-old Keith Anthony Baskerville of Woodbridge was driving the car that crashed, killing 61-year-old Barbara Jean Bosworth.

Police say the warrants are for carjacking and abduction with the intent to extort money, and that Baskerville has a prior arrest for burglary.

Bosworth was kidnapped Saturday afternoon from Springfield Mall. The suspects forced her to use her ATM at a Woodbridge convenience store. They later drove away with Bosworth, in her car. The driver lost control, crashing into some trees.

Baskerville and the other suspect remain hospitalized in critical condition.

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Culpeper auto accident takes life of teen

In some of the last words he would ever say to his daughter, Rev. James Randall Orndorff told his 17 year-old, Kelsey, how proud he was of her.

On Friday, Kelsey Jean-Marie Orndorff of Culpeper was killed in a two-car collision on State Route 3 in Culpeper County, according to State Police.

According to a witness, Dr. James Cook, who practices in Culpeper, was in the other vehicle and was airlifted from the scene.

 

This was Kelsey's second and senior year at Fredericksburg Christian High School.

"I've been crying so much I don't feel like I have anything left," her father said yesterday.

He said the family is making it through the loss with friends and faith. James "Randy" Orndorff serves as the pastor at Culpeper United Methodist Church.

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Trooper witnesses Thursday morning crash in Culpeper

A Rixeyville woman was hospitalized following a wreck Thursday morning that was witnessed by a Virginia State trooper.

The accident occurred around 8:15 a.m. in the 11000 block of Eggbornsville Road, said State Police spokesman Sgt. Les Tyler.

Capt. Michael A. Spivey was also traveling in the area and saw the crash in his rearview mirror, Tyler said.

Lisa L. Wolfe, 46, was eastbound on Eggbornsville Road when she failed to negotiate a curve. Tyler said her 2007 Hyundai SUV left the right side of the road, went up an embankment and crashed through a fence. The SUV then went down the embankment, crossed the road and overturned, coming to rest on the passenger side. It missed striking a large bale of hay by about 10 feet.

Wolfe was taken to Culpeper Regional Hospital with injuries Tyler described as non life-threatening. Hospital spokeswoman Amy Neese said Thursday afternoon that Wolfe was treated and released.

Tyler said Spivey, who was the first person on the scene, reported that failure to wear a seat belt and speed may have contributed to the accident and Wolfe’s injuries.

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Culpeper girl, 6, drowns in Strasburg

A 6-year-old Culpeper girl drowned Saturday at a former quarry while on a trip with her family.

Dakota Hansen, daughter of Edward and Wendy Hansen, was found motionless in the water by another swimmer at Half Moon Beach, according to the Northern Virginia Daily newspaper.

It was the quarry’s second drowning in less than a month, prompting local police to close it for a safety evaluation.

Dira Hansen, 17, who ran track for Culpeper County High School and is an incoming freshman at Christopher Newport University, confirmed to the Daily that the victim was her sister.

Hansen said she heard of the drowning from her 15-year-old sister Shannon, who accompanied other family members to the quarry at 363 Radio Station Road. Her brothers Joey, 8, and Joshua, 2, as well as 6-year-old Cameron O’Sullivan, a foster brother, were there with her parents.

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Man pleads to DUI manslaughter

An illegal immigrant was convicted Friday of manslaughter in the death of a 17-year-old boy killed in an alcohol-related crash Nov. 28 on Va. 42.

In a plea agreement with the Augusta County prosecutor's office, Agustin Alcantar Garcia, 34, of Mount Solon entered an Alford plea in Augusta County Circuit Court to a charge of manslaughter — driving under the influence. He was sentenced to five years in prison and had 4 1/2 years suspended.

An Alford plea does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a conviction. It carries the same weight as a guilty plea.

Assistant prosecutor Angela Landes said Garcia was headed southbound and rounding a long curve at 6:46 a.m. on Va. 42 near Va. 809 when he lost control of his pickup, striking a van with five occupants head-on. A 17-year-old boy, Tobias Hernandez Martinez of Mexico, a passenger in the front seat of the van, was killed as a result of the crash.

Landes said skid marks from Garcia's pickup indicated he locked his brakes while still in his lane before crossing the double-yellow line. An accident reconstruction expert said Garcia's truck was going 79 mph when he lost control, according to Landes. The van's speed was estimated at 59 mph.

Landes said beer cans were found in Garcia's pickup, and that a toxicologist would have testified that Garcia's blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was "in the neighborhood of .11 percent," above Virginia's legal limit of .08.

A detainer has been placed on Garcia by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Landes said Garcia will be picked up in the coming week and deported to Mexico.

Garcia, who has no prior arrests, was credited for time already served in Middle River Regional Jail. Virginia's recommended sentencing guidelines called for him to serve no time behind bars and be placed on probation.

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Fix at Deadly Culpeper Intersection to be Delayed

It's more bad news for Culpeper County's new Eastern View High School, which has run into series of problems since its inception.

Construction of an interchange on U.S. 29 to serve the school that opens Aug. 20 will be delayed for several years. Both Commonwealth Transportation Board member Butch Davies and Virginia Department of Transportation Culpeper resident engineer Quinton Elliott said yesterday that it will be at least 2013--and likely longer before the project is under way.

"There have been significant changes in the financial picture," Davies told the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors. "The economic issues our country is dealing with are impacting us."

Both Davies and Elliott said that originally the interchange project at U.S. 29 and State Route 666 was slated to cost about $28 million and construction was to begin no later than spring 2011.

Those construction costs are expected to jump to about $40 million by 2014, Davies said.

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Virginia kicks off rural road DUI crackdown

Virginia is cracking down on drunken driving.

Governor Tim Kaine, Virginia State Police and local law enforcement are launching the 2008 Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign on Thursday. The campaign will focus on drunken drivers on rural roads.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office says more than one-third of traffic fatalities in Virginia last year were alcohol-related.

The campaign this year will use DUI checkpoints and an advertising blitz directed at young drivers. It is the seventh year for the initiative.

According to the latest figures available, Virginia saw an increase in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in 2006 from 2005, from 322 in 2005 to 374 in 2006. That followed declines for the previous three years.

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DUI charge in car accident may be blemish to Shia LaBeouf's rising star

In a town overrun with young stars behaving badly, Shia LaBeouf has appeared as something of a Hollywood golden boy — one of the industry's few bona fide megastars in the making.

He's been a sought-after actor for almost half of his 22-year-old life and a Steven Spielberg favorite, carefully groomed for stardom.

But with his arrest Sunday in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, LaBeouf's rising star earned its first significant blemish and cause for damage control.

LaBeouf was arrested 3 a.m. in West Hollywood after his pickup collided with another vehicle, rolling the truck over. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Wolf said it was "immediately apparent" to officers on the scene that LaBeouf was intoxicated.

With him was Isabel Lucas, a 23-year-old Australian actress who plays a supporting role in the "Transformers" sequel "Revenge of the Fallen," according to a person close to the movie's production who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to release that information. She was uninjured, as was the driver of the other car.

Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said Tuesday that detectives have determined that the accident wasn't LaBeouf's fault and that the other driver apparently ran a red light.

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Sick truck drivers behind the wheel in fiery US highway crashes

Tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the United States have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells behind the wheel that led to deadly crashes on highways. Hundreds of thousands of drivers carry commercial licenses even though they also qualify for full federal disability payments, according to a new U.S. safety study obtained by The Associated Press.

The problems threatening highway travelers persist despite years of government warnings and hundreds of deaths and injuries blamed on commercial truck and bus drivers who blacked out, collapsed or suffered major health problems behind the wheels of vehicles that can weigh 40 tons (36 metric tons) or more.

The U.S. agency responsible for cracking down on unfit truckers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, acknowledges it hasn't completed any of eight recommendations that U.S. safety regulators have proposed since 2001. One would set minimum standards for officials who determine whether truckers are medically safe to drive. Another would prevent truckers from "doctor shopping" to find a physician who might overlook a risky health condition. It is unclear whether any of the eight recommendations will be done before President Bush leaves office.

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Police: Play it safe on the roads, water

With Virginia’s lakes, rivers, bays and oceanfront popular holiday destinations for the coming Fourth of July weekend, drivers are reminded to play it safe both on the water and on the road. Today across the Commonwealth press conferences were held to remind Virginians that BUI - Boating Under the Influence - and DUI - Driving Under the Influence -are an illegal and deadly combination, especially at a time when waterways and highways are at their busiest.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and numerous local law enforcement gathered alongside the James River and Smith Mountain Lake on Wednesday, July 2, to focus on boating and vehicle traffic safety during the Independence Day weekend.

“In the interest of public safety this Fourth of July weekend, Virginia conservation police officers will be joining forces with the Virginia State Police and other law enforcement personnel across the Commonwealth. The primary focus of this effort will be to apprehend those persons operating motorboats and motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs,” said VDGIF Law Enforcement Division Chief Colonel Dabney W. Watts, Jr.

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Wrecks in Virginia are fatal to two men

Two men died after separate single-vehicle crashes last week, the Virginia State Police report.

Bobby Joe Moore, 23, of Castleton died yesterday from injuries he received when his pickup truck struck a tree on state Route 615, just south of state Route 729, at 2:30 a.m. in Rappahannock County, police said.

He died at 3 a.m. in a Culpeper-area hospital, police said. He was not wearing a seat belt, authorities said.

Paul E. Fooks, 53, of Millville, N.J., died in Loudoun County on Thursday after his tractor-trailer crossed the double center-line on Saint Louis Road, just north of Snake Hill Road, and struck a tree.

Fooks died at the scene shortly after 2:36 p.m., police said.

He was wearing a seat belt, authorities said.

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TV show to feature death of Culpeper teacher

Family members of a kindergarten teacher whose 2006 death remains unsolved hope that clues will emerge after the case is featured on ABC's "Primetime Crime."

Justine Swartz Abshire, then a teacher at Culpeper's Emerald Hill Elementary School, was found dead the night of Nov. 3, 2006, alongside a road in Barboursville, near the Greene County line. State police originally described the death as a hit-and-run. The investigation remains open.

Abshire had married just six months before and was 27. Her story is to be featured July 30 on the ABC program.

Abshire's parents, Steve and Heidi Swartz, and her sister, Lauren, have consistently sought answers and said last week that they hope the national broadcast will shed more light on what happened.

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Complaints in Culpeper prompt stronger crosswalk law enforcement

Acting on complaints from residents and observations from officers, the Culpeper Police Department will begin enhanced enforcement of crosswalk laws, the department announced this week.

Sgt. Jason Deal said police will direct their focus to crosswalks on North Main Street from Edmondson Street north of the County Administration Building south to Locust Street, which is south of the post office.

“It is important for drivers to know that once a pedestrian is in a crosswalk, they have to yield the right of way,” Deal said. Drivers of vehicles entering, crossing or turning at intersections must also slow down or stop to allow pedestrians to cross safely, according to Virginia law.

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Severe Retinal Hemorrhaging Is Linked To Severe Motor Vehicle Crashes

The severity of retinal hemorrhaging for young children in motor vehicle crashes is closely correlated to the severity of the crash, according to a new study by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Retinal hemorrhages occur when the blood vessels lining the retina rupture, resulting in bleeding onto the surface of the retina.

The study, by Jane Kivlin, M.D., and Kenneth Simons, M.D., professors of ophthalmology at the Medical College, is published in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

"The severity of the retinal injuries is similar to that seen in nonaccidental childhood neurotrauma, or shaken baby syndrome," according to Dr. Kivlin, a pediatric ophthalmologist and lead author, who sees patients at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. "Many perpetrators of shaken baby syndrome have confessed to violently shaking the child, subjecting the child to severe rotational force."

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Culpeper Residents Warn of Deadly Intersection

Reva resident Justin Embrey knows first hand about the dangers that could occur while driving through one of Culpeper’s busiest intersections.

His brother-in-law Joshua Lee Burke, 22, and Victoria Ashley Burke both of King George were killed Sept. 1 during Labor Day weekend following a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of U.S. 29 and Alanthus Road in Brandy Station.

A tow truck northbound on U.S. 29 plowed into their 2003 GMC Chevy pickup truck, Embrey said, leaving the couple’s 3-month-old daughter an orphan and his family in “total dismay.”

Their backseat passenger, John Ifiah Lizotte — who was ejected and found on the median — was flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital for his injuries.

Today, Lizotte receives daily medical assistance from his mother and a medically trained professional.

This fatal wreck occurred within minutes of the proposed overpass at the intersection of U.S. 29 and Route 666 where the county’s new high school, Eastern View, opens this fall. The thought of novice motorists driving to get to class frightens school officials to no end.

But a slowing economy, decreasing revenues and increasing maintenance costs has forced the Virginia Department of Transportation to put the brakes on a number of highly anticipated road projects in Culpeper.

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Culpeper man indicted in case of boy found dead in trunk

A grand jury has indicted a man who police say put a child killed in a car crash into the vehicle's trunk.

Fielding Taylor Kines, 38, of Remington was indicted Monday by a Culpeper County grand jury on charges of driving under the influence and involuntary DUI aggravated manslaughter.

Kines, who was indicted for his alleged role in a May 16 crash that killed Orion Bickings, 8, is to be arraigned July 16.

Virginia State Police said Kines lost control of his car on a northern Culpeper County road, causing the boy to be ejected.

A warrant filed in General District Court also accused Kines of possibly trying to hide the severity of the wreck from police and witnesses by moving the child into the trunk of the wrecked car.

Kines and a 5-year-old child in the car were not injured.

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Virginia transportation cuts delay key road construction

The intersection of Routes 29 and 666 has scared the school board for years now. Even before it chose to build Eastern View High School there.

Long regarded as one of the county's deadliest intersections, 29/666 regularly sees crashes, and suffered a fatality in 2001. Vehicles routinely blow through red lights. And the school system had a bus crash there in 1988, when a collision with a dump truck sent several elementary school children to the hospital.

But funding cuts of more than $600 million to Virginia's transportation departments will leave safety improvements here unfunded. Work could start in 2010, say officials – Eastern View opens this fall.

"When you get teenagers at the end of school – it is not good," said Butch Davies, who sits on the state's Commonwealth Transportation Board. "I am very concerned about it."

That intersection is far from the only project that faces delays.

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Body of missing motorcyclist found after tragic Virginia accident

Authorities have recovered the body of a motorcyclist who drove off the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Arlington on Monday night.

The body of 22-year-old Nathan Townsend of Alexandria, Va. was found in the woods near the bank of the Potomac River just after 6 a.m. after an exhaustive search of the area.

Townsend was a member of the military stationed in the area.

The northbound lanes of the parkway were closed for much of Tuesday morning while the U.S. Park Police and local fire and emergency teams wrapped up the investigation. They reopened at about 9:30 a.m.

Police believe Townsend was riding on the parkway when his front wheel began to wobble. He lost control of his motorcycle, and went off the road.

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Virginia Auto Accident Claims Two Lives

wo sisters were killed near Crimora on Tuesday when a sport utility vehicle slammed into their car after they passed a stop sign without slowing down, police said.

Wanda Virginia Stambaugh, 63, of Fredericksburg, was driving a gray 2007 Toyota Corolla west on Route 612 at around 35 mph when she passed the stop sign and proceeded onto Route 340, where the vehicle was broadsided by a southbound blue 1999 Ford Explorer, Virginia State Police Sgt. David Cooper said.

Stambaugh’s sister, Barbara Jean Trent, 64, of Gauley Bridge, W.Va., was riding in the passenger seat, Cooper said.

The force of the collision sent both vehicles spinning over a curb-lined flowerbed and into the parking lot of Mike’s Tire and Auto, an adjacent gas station and repair shop. The Corolla smashed into a parked 1992 Buick LeSabre before coming to a halt.

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Do you text while driving? Md. and Va. drivers admit they do

Maryland and Virginia have the dubious distinctions of being ranked fourth and sixth, respectively, when it comes to people who text while driving, a new survey finds.

The survey finds that 36 percent of Marylanders send text messages while driving. In Virginia, the number is 35.6 percent.

Nationwide, 28 percent confessed to "driving while texting."

Vlingo, a company that markets voice-recognition software it says can be used as a substitute for texting, conducted the online survey of 4,820 people. The survey has a margin of error of 1.4 percent.

Ranking No. 1 with the most people who text is South Carolina.

And, the state with the fewest people texting while driving is Arizona.

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Virginia Trooper Saves Man From Burning Car

For the second time in a week, a Virginia state trooper has rescued a motorist from a burning car on Interstate 66 in Fairfax County, this time after a four-car crash yesterday that left a driver unconscious and his minivan in flames.

Trooper K.J. Brown, 28, is credited with saving the life of James R. Campbell, 72, of Arlington County, who police said had some sort of medical problem as he drove a Dodge Caravan west on I-66 about 11:50 a.m. While Brown was seated in his cruiser, writing a traffic ticket on the left shoulder of the highway, he saw the Caravan veer out of control and strike a Dodge Charger, setting off a chain reaction of collisions, Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

The Caravan careened over to the right side of the highway and into an embankment, then started burning. Brown and the motorist he had pulled over dashed to the minivan, Geller said, but the doors were jammed shut.

Brown used his retractable baton to smash out the Caravan's driver-side window and pulled Campbell out, Geller said. A Fairfax fire supervisor who came to the scene told Brown's sergeant that "if the trooper was not there, there's no way the man would have made it," Geller said.

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Five injured in four-car Fairfax crash

Five people, including a state trooper, were treated for injuries following a four-vehicle crash on Interstate 66 in Centreville. The crash closed westbound lanes of I-66 near the northbound Route 28 exit for more than an hour Wednesday.

The chain reaction began when the driver of a Dodge Caravan lost control of his vehicle due to a medical condition, according to Virginia State Police. The minivan struck a Dodge Charger and both vehicles spun out of control, hitting a Mercury SUV, which rolled twice before coming to rest on its wheels, and a Buick LaSabre.

The Caravan then hit an embankment and began burning. State Police Trooper K.J. Brown witnessed the accident and went to assist the driver of the Caravan. The doors were jammed shut, so Brown broke out a window and pulled the driver out. Shortly afterward, the van was engulfed in flames, police said.

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Government upgrades investigation of 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty

The government has upgraded an investigation into Chrysler LLC's Jeep Liberty following reports of drivers losing control of their sport-utility vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has received 22 complaints of the upper ball joint separating on either of the front wheels. The problem can lead to the front wheel collapsing, which can disable the vehicle or cause the driver to lose control.

The investigation involves more than 300,000 2002 and 2003 model year Liberty 4X4 SUVs.

Max Gates, a Chrysler spokesman, said Monday the automaker was continuing its investigation. Chrysler has received 74 complaints, but no reports of any accidents or injuries tied to the problem.

Most of the drivers who filed complaints have said the joints separated at speeds of under 20 miles per hour, according to NHTSA. But the government said it received five complaints of the separations happening at speeds of 40 mph or more, including one at 75 mph.

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Truck wreck ties up U.S. 29 traffic

An over-turned box truck tied up traffic along the southbound lanes of U.S. 29 in Nelson County for two hours this morning.

The accident occurred between Rockfish River Road and Laurel Hill Lane, just north of Wood’s Mill.

Virginia State Police Trooper Hunter Birckhead said wet road conditions and low traction on the truck’s back tires caused the truck to hydroplane before overturning in the right lane. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

Arlom Gustav Marquez, 29, of Fairfax, was the driver of the truck. He was transported to UVa Medical Center with minor injuries and released, Birckhead said.

Marquez was transporting a small amount of frozen food. He will be charged with reckless driving and defective equipment, Birckhead said.

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Court reinstates ruling in motorcycle accident wrongful-death suit

The widow of a Middletown man killed in a 2004 motorcycle accident is entitled to additional compensation from the city tow truck company that was held responsible for her husband’s death, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled last week.

In a decision handed down on Friday, the court reinstated a 2006 Frederick County Circuit Court ruling awarding Christa Wright $942,535 in economic losses.

Wright had already been awarded nearly $20,000 for hospital and funeral expenses from the wrongful-death suit she filed against Minnick’s Auto Repair in Frederick County Circuit Court.

Wright sued the Winchester tow truck company, claiming Minnick’s caused the death of her husband, Anthony Wright, 32.

Anthony Wright died on the day after the July 25, 2004, accident in which his motorcycle crashed on Airport Road in Frederick County.

According to the suit, Minnick’s tow truck driver Bernard W. Everhart Jr. backed into the roadway without looking for traffic, which caused Anthony Wright to crash while trying to avoid the truck.

He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, according to the Virginia State Police.

The Supreme Court on Friday reinstated the original verdict in the wrongful-death suit, which was tried twice in Frederick County Circuit Court.

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Prosecutors Want Teen Tried as Adult in DWI Crash

Prosecutors in Loudoun County want to press adult charges against a 17-year-old Fairfax County girl charged in a drunken-driving crash that killed a 59-year-old woman.

The teen is charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kathleen Becker, who was killed September 20th when her vehicle and the teen's collided on a two-lane stretch of Route 15, near Leesburg.

Prosecutors are appealing a November ruling that the girl be tried as a juvenile. They told a Loudoun judge on Thursday that the girl engaged in "binge drinking" and should be tried as an adult. Her defense attorney argued that the case should remain in juvenile court because she is immature, has no criminal record and has demonstrated remorse.

If tried and convicted as an adult, she faces between one and 20 years in prison.

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Tests Link Casings from Va. Highway Shootings, Suspect

Investigators say ballistics tests positively match shell casings found near the scene of six highway shootings in Virginia and casings found inside a vehicle owned by a man charged with the shootings.

The analysis was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the results were announced Saturday by Virginia State Police.

The ATF lab also matched the casings to a Ruger .22-caliber magnum rifle that was recovered by investigators Friday on the property of Yonder Hill Farm in Crozet.

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Five killed in wrecks on Virginia roads

A 39-year-old Gloucester man died early Sunday when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving and crashed, Virginia State Police said.

Beverly Wade Chandler was driving east on state Route 198, just east of Route 608 in Gloucester County when the car crossed the center line, sideswiped another vehicle, ran off the road and hit a mailbox and then some trees. Chandler, who was wearing a seat belt, died at 9:33 a.m. at the scene, state police said.

He was among five people who died on Virginia roads in the last several days, bringing the total to 143 yesterday, compared with 148 at the same time last year, state police said.

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Man injured after getting trapped by toppled rail car

Officials say a man was seriously injured in Prince William County on Tuesday when a rail car toppled over, trapping him underneath.

Kim Hylander, a spokeswoman for the Prince William County fire department, says the open-top rail car carrying gravel tipped over and onto the man at about 11:30 a.m. Rescuers managed to get him out about 40 minutes later.

Hylander says man was taken by helicopter to Inova Fairfax Hospital.

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Car Crash Deaths Increase Starting At Age 12

Child passengers, ages 12 to 16, are more likely to die in a car crash than younger children, according to a study just released in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. This risk increases with each teenage year.

Conducted as part of an on-going research collaboration between The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance Companies, the study offers evidence-based guidelines for parents and policymakers to help protect this vulnerable age group. Researchers examined 45,560 crashes involving 8- to 17-year-old passengers.

Between 2000 and 2005, 9,807 passengers in this age group died in crashes. "We saw a clear tipping point between ages 12 and 14, where child passengers became much more likely to die in a crash than their younger counterparts," says Flaura Koplin-Winston, M.D., Ph.D., founder and co-scientific director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at CHOP.

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Red-light Cameras Increase Crashes

Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher auto insurance premiums, researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health conclude. The effective remedy to red-light running uses engineering solutions to improve intersection safety, which is particularly important to Florida’s elderly drivers, the researchers recommend.

“The rigorous studies clearly show red-light cameras don’t work,” said lead author Barbara Langland-Orban, professor and chair of health policy and management at the USF College of Public Health.

“Instead, they increase crashes and injuries as drivers attempt to abruptly stop at camera intersections. If used in Florida, cameras could potentially create even worse outcomes due to the state’s high percent of elderly who are more likely to be injured or killed when a crash occurs.”


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Va. Tech Sophomore From Manassas Hit by Car, Killed

Christine McNabb, 20, of Manassas had just parked her car in the Cage, the fenced-in parking lot on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg on Saturday evening. At 6:23 p.m., she stepped into the crosswalk on Duckpond Drive with four other people. In seconds, a car plowed into four of the five pedestrians.

Three and a half hours later, McNabb's heart stopped beating, and she was pronounced dead.

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A ‘Nightmare' Tractor Trailer Collision On I-81

A second person died late Tuesday in a medical helicopter on the way to the University of Virginia Medical Center after a tractor-trailer struck a passenger van on Interstate 81 in the city, police said.

Linda A. Solorzano, from Buffalo, N.Y., a 48-year-old passenger in the van, died shortly before midnight. The driver of the van, her 38-year-old husband, Isaac Santos, died instantaneously, police said.

Two people in the tractor-trailer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

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Does Bad Credit Mean Higher Premiums?

Does having bad credit make you a driver who is more likely to have an accident?

Most of the large personal auto insurance companies use credit data as one of the factors in determining if they want to insure you and the rates you will be charged. Is this justified? Well, the facts seem to indicate that there is a connection between your credit record and the likelihood that you will file an auto insurance claim. According to one study, bad credit risks file 40% more claims and pay up to 50% more in car insurance premiums than a person with good credit. The use of credit risk scores in selling you insurance is subject to the laws of your state.

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Auto Insurers Boost Premiums on Injury, Crash Costs

Allstate Corp. and Progressive Corp. are leading the push by U.S. auto insurers to raise premiums in at least 20 states as the $160 billion industry moves to end two years of price reductions.

Insurers say they need higher prices to counter climbing repair and medical costs. Allstate, ranked second by premiums, said collision bills rose 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier and payouts for injuries gained 9.3 percent. Safeco Corp., which gets almost half its total premiums from drivers, reported a $19 million loss on auto underwriting.

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DUI Bill Passes Virginia House of Delegates

The General Assembly is looking keep drunk drivers off Virginia roads. A bill has been approved by the House of Delegates that would require ignition interlock devices for first time DUI offenders.

If you have one too many and get behind the wheel Virginia law is clear. You will be punished. You will receive heavy fines, jail time, and your license will be taken away. But now lawmakers want to see if they can prevent the drunk driving to begin with.

84th District Delegate Sal Iaquinto (R) stated, "This is the one way to make sure before a person gets on the road with alcohol in their system that we can make sure that they don't get on the road."

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Arlington Nurse Accused of Assaulting Patient

A male nurse at Virginia Hospital Center turned himself in, accused of assaulting a patient.

Adebowale Adefolaju, 51, of Lanham, Md., allegedly inappropriately touched a female patient on two occasions. Police say he worked the night shift at the hospital through a contracting agency.

Adefolaju would come into the room and tell the patient he was going to give her a massage and then he would assault her, police say.

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Gun-Show Loophole to Remain Open in Virginia

A state Senate committee has killed legislation backed by families of the Virginia Tech shooting victims to close a loophole that allows criminals and the mentally ill to buy firearms at gun shows without a background check.

The Courts of Justice Committee voted 9-6 Wednesday to reject the bill before sending it to the Virginia State Crime Commission for study.

A House of Delegates committee last week rejected similar legislation, so the issue appears to be dead for this General Assembly session.

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Teen Drivers Would Benefit From Greater Restrictions

Most states have graduated licensing for teen drivers but such programs should be even more restrictive, according to a study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

"Motor vehicle crashes are the greatest single health threat to teens," said UMTRI researcher C. Raymond Bingham. "Little or no positive change has occurred in teen crash numbers in the past 10-15 years. Clearly, current measures aimed at curbing teen drivers' involvement in crashes are not sufficient."

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No Ban on Driving While Texting... Yet

Teens already are banned from using cell phones while driving, but a bill was introduced earlier this month to ban adults from sending text messages at the wheel.

On Tuesday, the House Transportation Committee referred a bill to ban sending text messages while driving to the Joint Commission on Technology and Science. The decision was made by voice vote, and it effectively kills the bill for the 2008 General Assembly session.

The purpose of JCOTS, which meets between legislative sessions, is to research policy-related science and technology issues. Del. Joe May (R- western Loudoun) and other members of the Transportation Committee, believe the technology aspects of the bill need more research.

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Virginia General Assembly to Target Dangerous Driving Habits

Several bills to ban specific behavior while driving, including one to outlaw driving with a dog or other animal in one’s lap, are headed for votes in the House Committee on Transportation.

Virginia’s first proposed ban on driving with a lap dog, House Bill 533, follows a pair of bills to ban text messaging while driving that are being debated in similar fashion with some delegates questioning how many bad driving behaviors should be outlawed and with what specificity.

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Virginia nears a 17-year high in number of traffic deaths

Governor Timothy M. Kaine is urging all drivers and passengers to help slow the number of lives being lost on Virginia’s highways this year. As of Dec. 6, the Commonwealth experienced more fatalities in 2007 than in all of 2006. At the current rate of traffic deaths, Virginia’s 2007 highway death toll could break 1,000 traffic fatalities for the first time since 1990.

“For the first time in 17 years, Virginia may lose 1,000 lives to traffic crashes,” said Governor Kaine. “With thousands expected to take to the roads for the holidays, drivers and passengers need to take responsibility and help ensure that everyone arrives at their destinations safely this holiday season.”

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Crash Tests Predict Fatality Risk In Cars, Not In Trucks

Frontal crash tests in laboratories are strong predictors of passenger cars’ safety on the road, though they fail to accurately project driver fatality risks for trucks, according to a recent Virginia Commonwealth University study.

The study examined the frontal crash test ratings that vehicles received from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, and compared them to fatality rates in the vehicles. It also compared a smaller sample of test ratings given by the privately funded Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, IIHS, which uses a 40-percent frontal offset crash test, with the vehicles’ fatality rates.

The results indicate that the crash tests held by NHTSA and the IIHS are successful in predicting real-world crash outcomes for passenger cars -- the ratings NHTSA and IIHS bestowed on passenger cars generally matched the cars’ safety record on the road. However, the ratings for trucks did not match real-world outcomes. For example, in the case of both NHTSA and IIHS, trucks that received the worst possible crash-test rating had on average lower driver fatality rates than trucks that received the best possible crash-test rating.

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Weak Federal safety standards for bumpers mean more cost to you

An insurance group is again raising concerns about vehicle bumpers - those of minivans this time - contending that weak federal standards permit automakers to build cars that suffer thousands of dollars in collision damage even in impacts at walking speed.

The industry-funded research group, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, based in Arlington, Va., says the worst performer among six 2008 minivans it recently subjected to four low-speed crash tests was the Nissan Quest, with resulting damage that would have cost more than $8,000 to repair. "It's damage that consumers shouldn't have to pay for, or put up with the aggravation of having to get their vehicles repaired," institute senior vice president Joe Nolan said in a statement.

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N.Va. man killed in Fairfax wreck

A 27-year-old Northern Virginia man was killed Monday when he lost control of a car on a ramp to Interstate 495 in Fairfax County and hit a tree.

State police said David Mario Brandt of Annandale wrecked about 11:15 p.m. about 500 feet north of Gallows Road.

Virginia's 2007 highway death toll yesterday was 967, compared with 912 as of the same day last year.

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DC and Virginia Nursing Homes Make Dubious List

Fifty-four nursing homes are being told by the government that they're among the worst in their states in an effort to goad them into improving patient care.

Lawmakers and advocacy groups have been pushing the Bush administration to make it easier for consumers to identify poorly performing nursing homes. They complain that too many facilities get cited for serious deficiencies but don't make adequate improvement, or do so only temporarily.

The administration agreed, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will list the homes on its Web site Thursday.

"Very, very poor quality nursing homes do not deserve to be left untouched or unnoticed," said Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. "This is not to be punitive. That's not our goal. Our goal is to see to it that the people in these nursing homes get better quality care or that they get the opportunity to move somewhere else."

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Breathalyzer Case Could Overturn DUIs

Most DUI cases in recent years could be overturned, pending a decision from the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

The certified Breathalyzer test used by police in Connecticut is not accurate, some attorneys claimed Tuesday in hopes of urging the state to change policies.

The penalty for drivers charged with DUI is the loss of their license for three months.

"It would be a difficult position for the department," said John Yacavone, chief legal counsel for the DMV.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Hena Daniels reported a Superior Court judge ordered the DMV to conduct a hearing as opposing attorneys are trying to prove that all Breathalyzer tests taken by the Intoxilyzer 5000 are inaccurate.

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Fauquier crash kills Oklahoma resident

An Oklahoma woman died yesterday at the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Fauquier County.

Virginia State Police reported that Diannah M. Parker, 74, was a passenger in a pickup truck traveling south about 3:22 p.m. on state Route 626, 1½ miles east of state Route 688. When the truck changed lanes, it was struck by a car, causing it to go over a guardrail and down an embankment. Parker was wearing a seat belt, police said.

State police also reported three other fatalities, bringing Virginia's 2007 highway death toll to 927 yesterday, compared with 867 at the same time last year.

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Slain Stafford motorist possessed DUI record

A motorist fatally shot by a state trooper along Interstate 95 in Stafford County during the weekend had been convicted of multiple DUI and reckless-driving charges, court records show.

Virginia State Police yesterday would not say whether Marc D. Greenberg, 41, was wanted on outstanding warrants when he sped from a Stafford sheriff's deputy who tried to pull him over Sunday because of an expired registration.

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MADD Kicks Off Annual Safe Driving Campaign

As part of the Tie One On For Safety program, Toll Road Investments Partnership II, owners of the Dulles Greenway, have joined Loudoun's MADD chapter for the past nine years and assisted in getting the word out to drivers. Each toll collector will be handing out MADD's red ribbons as well as educational materials to each driver that comes through a tollbooth.

"We have trained all toll collectors to recognize impaired drivers and call them in," Ann Huggins-Lawler, representative of the Dulles Greenway, said. "We want to help send a clear message that drinking and driving don't mix."

Kurt Erickson, from Washington Regional Alcohol Program, also announced that the nonprofit would again offer its Sober Ride, a program that offers free cab rides to impaired people if they call 1-800-200-TAXI. The program will run from Dec. 7 to Jan. 1, 2008.

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Three killed in local Virgina road crashes

A man standing in the road was struck and killed in King George County this weekend in one of several fatal car accidents.

In Culpeper, a man was charged in the death of a woman. Her husband was injured.

In Louisa, a Fredericksburg man died when he hit a tree. His two passengers were injured.

In King George, a man standing in the middle of U.S. 301 Sunday night was struck by a car and killed, state police said.

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Bealeton teen hurt in a two-car crash

The incident reportedly occurred at the intersection of Route 28 (Catlett Road) and Independence Avenue in Bealeton just before 5 p.m.
The 17-year-old, who was driving a 1995 Mercury Tracer, had stopped on Independence Avenue, according to a Fauquier County deputy's report. But when it was his turn to proceed, the teen allegedly went straight instead of making a right turn.
Oliver H. Corbin, 65, of Catlett was driving a 1999 GMC north on Route 28 when he hit the teen's car, police said. The impact pushed the Tracer into a nearby fence.
The teen was medivaced from the scene, police said. Corbin and two others were also transported to the hospital by EMS personnel.
Charges are pending.

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Hams guide rescue crew

Alert action by two ham radio operators recently helped bring speedy assistance to the scene of a recent two-car collision near northern Stafford County.

During a heavy rainstorm on July 27, KG4UCM was driving south on State Route 612 in Fauquier County along the western edge of Quantico Marine Corps Base. "I took that route," he said, "because, in that weather, I thought it would be safer and easier than I-95."

At 6:30 p.m. he came upon two cars that had plunged into the southbound ditch. They had collided head-on minutes earlier. Other vehicles had stopped. Debris was in the road and people were running back and forth.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Warrenton woman charged in wreck

A Warrenton woman was charged with DUI and other traffic violations after she was involved in a car crash July 22.

A Fauquier deputy's report indicates that the crash happened in the 11000 block of Marsh Road (U.S. 17) in Bealeton at 12:36 a.m

For more information, follow the link below.

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Man charged in four-car collision

Police said a Marshall man was charged with following too close after he was involved in a four-car crash July 20.

The wreck reportedly occurred in the 6400 block of John S. Mosby Highway near Upperville at approximately 5:09 p.m.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Drunk, dangerous driving will cost big money

Virginia drivers who drive drunk or dangerously after July 1 will pay for it in the pocketbook when new civil fees go into effect.

Anyone with a Virginia driver's license who is convicted of driving drunk or other selected offenses will have to pay up to several thousand dollars.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Virginia Tech student injures eight while driving drunk

The accident occurred at the 200-block of South Main Street, in front of Boudreaux’s and Big Al’s, as the driver headed north in a 2001 silver Toyota RAV-4.

After passing the Jackson street intersection, the driver swerved into the southbound lanes, knocking down a small tree and light pole as the vehicle crashed into eight pedestrians.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Motorist charged with DUI

A resident of The Plains was reportedly charged with DUI after he was involved in a single-vehicle accident on Saturday night.

According to a Fauquier deputy's report, the wreck happened shortly after 8 p.m. in the 2500 block of Bull Run Mountain Road north of The Plains.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Stafford County man dies in wreck

A 42-year-old Stafford County man was killed yesterday when his car ran off the road and hit a tree in Fauquier County.

State police said Rodney Tim Mosley was driving northbound on state Route 612, just north of state Route 639, about 10:40 a.m. when he lost control of his car and hit a tree. He died at the scene.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Teenager Charged With Posession of Alcohol After Crash

Bealeton teen was charged with reckless driving and possession of alcohol while underage after she was involved in a car crash on Saturday, police said.

According to a Fauquier deputy's report, Jessica L. Hatton, 18, was driving a 2000 Ford Mustang on Beach Road when it went off the right side of the road and hit several trees. Hatton reportedly told the deputy she was attempting to miss a deer.

She was not hurt in the crash, according to the report.

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Henrico County Settles in Wrongful Death Case

Henrico County has agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a wrongful death suit brought by the estate of Dana Quarles. The Varina High School student was hit by a car after getting off a school bus.

The estate sought $5 million from the Henrico County School Board, the school bus driver and the car's driver.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Dulaney Lauer and Thomas Helping the Injured in Western Prince William

Like it or not, development is coming to Western Prince William County. And there will be specific legal issues that will arrive part and parcel with every road, home, school and shopping center that will be built over the next few years.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Lynchburg teen killed in crash

A Lynchburg teenager was killed Tuesday when he lost control of a pickup truck and collided with a tractor-trailer in Amherst County.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Head-on collision on U.S. 15 takes life of Haymarket man

A Haymarket man died March 11 from injuries sustained in a head-on collision last month on U.S. 15 in Loudoun County, near the Prince William County line.


Talmage Eugene Simpkins, 79, of Haymarket was traveling south on U.S. 15 in a 2002 Buick Park Avenue, just after 1 p.m. on Feb. 24, when a 1991 Chevrolet station wagon struck him head-on.

For more information, follow the link below.

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State Farm Again Posts Record Profit. CEO Gets 82% Raise.

Read More About State Farm Again Posts Record Profit. CEO Gets 82% Raise....

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Filing for Workers' Comp Benefits? Get Ready For A Fight

Injured workers are finding it harder and harder to get fair treatment these days.

DuLaney Lauer and Thomas tell you what to expect if you get injured on the job.

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Virginia auto workers not eligible for extended federal jobless benefits

NORFOLK -- Three weeks ago, workers and former employees at Ford Motor Co.'s plant learned they might qualify for extra federal benefits, including reimbursement of moving costs and $10,000 worth of retraining.

Turns out, most of them can't get the sweetest option - up to two years in additional unemployment insurance.

Ford workers say they've been told by the Virginia Employment Commission that they will be shut out of that benefit because of how Ford's severance calculations and the state's employment law are structured.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Progressive Insurance: Art for Profit's Sake

Progressive Insurance owns the most valuable collection of American art in the world.

So why do they nickle and dime thier policy holders?

For more information, follow the link below.

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Fiery Crash Kills Three, Injures One

Three people died and one person was injured early yesterday in a three-vehicle crash involving a gasoline tanker on westbound Interstate 66.

The tanker's cab, a Volvo station wagon and a Jeep caught fire after the 3:50 a.m. crash near the ramp for the Fairfax County Parkway, said Sgt. Terry Licklider, a spokesman for the Virginia State Police.

For more information, follow the link below.

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Nursing Homes Susceptible to Norovirus

This isn't your ordinary "stomach bug."

"Literally in a matter of 45 minutes to an hour, I was sick as a dog", said Dr. Lori Lewis who works at Frankford Bucks Hospital.

Her husband, John, got it too, "I felt this turn in my stomach and it woke me up and it was almost simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea."

For more information, follow the link below.

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Insurance Companies AGAIN Enjoy Record Profits in '06 -- Look Forward to More in '07.

Read More About Insurance Companies AGAIN Enjoy Record Profits in '06 -- Look Forward to More in '07....

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Need insurance company contact information? Click here.

Insurance companies arent always easy to get ahold of, especially if you are trying to file a claim. Dulaney, Lauer and Thomas is pleased to provide you with the contact information for every major insurance company in America.

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Crashes Tied to Alcohol Decline

Alcohol-related crashes and injuries have been declining in the Washington suburbs and fatalities have dropped significantly, a new two-year study shows.

Even as New Year's Eve remains the most dangerous night for drunken driving crashes, the developments are fueling optimism among the people whose mission is to push for sobriety behind the wheel.

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Rubber-necking causes crash

Curiosity about one car crash allegedly caused another one on Friday morning.

According to a Fauquier deputy's report, the wreck happened in the 7000 block of James Madison Highway (U.S. 17) north of Warrenton shortly after 11 a.m. Phillis Ann Kent, 60, of Marshall, was driving a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck when traffic slowed for state police, who were investigating another crash.

"The driver of vehicle one looked over at the accident and did not realize that vehicle number two (a Fauquier County school bus) had stopped for traffic," the report states. "This was when vehicle number one rear-ended vehicle number two."

Kent "admitted that the accident was her fault and took full responsibility," according to the report. No one was injured and Kent was not charged in connection with the accident

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ATRA Fights for The Rights of Big Business

The ATRA recently designated Cook County, Illinois as a "Judicial Hellhole." But is it "frivolous lawsuits" clogging up the courts, or is it the contract disputes of big business?

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Indiana Man Wins $20 Million Verdict v. Allstate

A jury on Thursday decided that Ted K. Fields was in bad hands with Allstate and awarded the Valparaiso man $20 million.

Fields' attorney, Kenneth J. Allen, said the jury's decision supports his contention that Allstate acted in bad faith against its customers, and he hopes the verdict sends a message to Allstate and other insurers to treat their customers fairly.

For the whole story, follow the link below.

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Insurance Companies Post Record Profits In 2005.

This article details how the insurance industry posted record profits in 2005, even after factoring in claims associated with Hurricane Katrina. Industry wide profits were up 19% over the previous year. The insurers' cash reserves were up as well.

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Louisiana Ruling Gives Hurricane Victims More Options

BATON ROUGE, La. -- A state judge Wednesday ruled as constitutional two new state laws giving insurance policyholders more time to sue their insurers or file claims over damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
District Court Judge Kay Bates, who read her ruling from the bench, said the extension of the time periods doesn't expand citizens' rights under existing contracts but gives those who were displaced by the storms more time to enforce their rights.

For more information, please follow the link below.

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GEICO's Advertising Costs at $502 Million in 2005

While GEICO’s advertisements might be flashy and clever, they do very little to tell you how you will be treated if you actually need your insurance company’s help.

Follow the link for more information.

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New Book Details Allstate's Unfair Claims Handling

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National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration Releases Annual Crash Predictions

The NHTSA has released its annual projections for crashes and fatalities on our nation's highways.

Traffic fatalitites are expected to increase by 1%, while injuries caused by crashes are expected to decline by 4%.

To view the entire report, please follow the link below.

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Legal "reform" in Texas does more harm than good. A lesson for other states.

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Business lobbying group issues misleading radio ads, billboards as part of attack on W.Va. civil justice system.

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How the media helps the insurance industry promote the myth of America's "lawsuit crisis."

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Tort Reform and Your Civil Rights

Trial lawyers stand up for every-day Americans injured through no fault of their own and assure that regular Americans get a fair shake-even against the wealthiest and most powerful corporations.

Supporters of so-called tort “reform” claim that too many lawsuits have led to an excessive burden on our economy. They also charge that juries can no longer be trusted to render fair verdicts. But the truth belies these assertions.

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Bad Faith in the Insurance Industry - A Woman's Fight Against an Insurance Giant

Read More About Bad Faith in the Insurance Industry - A Woman's Fight Against an Insurance Giant...

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Tractor Trailor Defensive Driving Guidelines

In 2004, accidents involving large, heavy trucks accounted for 5,190 fatalities and about 116,000 injuries. These figures have remained at or close to the same level over the past nine years.

The most often-cited contributing factors to big truck crashes are: truck-driver fatigue or lapses in alertness, paying drivers only for miles driven, substandard brakes, overusing stimulants to stay awake, drivers breaking the hours-of-service (HOS) rules, and unsafe driving by motorists.

Along with truck drivers, motorists have a responsibility to be aware of their own fatigue, to avoid risky driving and to know what precautions to take when driving in the vicinity of a large truck.

The Following Information is Adapted from the American Trucking Associations:

* Never cut in front of a truck. At 55mph, fullly loaded trucks take the length of a football field to stop - 50% farther than a car. Be sure you're at least four car lengths in front of the truck.

* Don't linger alongside. There are large blind spots around trucks where cars disappear from the driver's view. Check the trucks side mirrors: If you can't see the driver's face, ther driver can't see you. To get out of left and right blind spots, pass quickly or slow down.

* Pass on the left. The blind spot on the right runs the length of the trailor and extends out three lanes. It's safer to pass on the left.

* Keep a safe distance. To avoid blind spots when behind a truck, stay back 20-25 car lengths, if possible.

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Drunk Driving in Virginia - Statistics Revealed

For one of every 170 miles driven in Virginia in 1999, a person with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >.08 sat behind the wheel. Police in Virginia reported 10,942 crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a BAC of .01 or more. Formulas developed by NHTSA were used to estimate the number of alcohol-related crashes where alcohol involvement was not reported by the police. An estimated total of 89,060 crashes in Virginia involved alcohol which killed 320 and injured an estimated 14,200 people.

Impaired Driving by Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

In 1999, Virginia drivers with:

• BACs of .10 and above were involved in an estimated 84,700 crashes that killed 246 and injured 12,400

• BACs between .08-.09 were involved in an estimated 1,460 crashes that killed 22 and injured 600

• Positive BACs below .08 were involved in an estimated 2,900 crashes that killed 52 and injured 1,200


COSTS

Alcohol is a factor in 24% of Virginia’s crash costs. Alcohol-related crashes in Virginia cost the public an estimated $2.6 billion in 1999, including $1.4 billion in monetary costs and almost $1.2 billion in quality of life losses. Alcohol-related crashes are deadlier and more serious than other crashes. People other than the drinking driver paid $1.7 billion of the alcohol-related crash bill.

Costs perAlcohol-Related Injury

The average alcohol-related fatality in Virginia costs $3.5 million:

• $1.2 million in monetary costs
• $2.3 million in quality of life losses

The estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged 101,000:
• $50,000 in monetary costs
• $51,000 in quality of life losses

Costs per Mile Driven

Crash costs in Virginia averaged:

• $4.80 per mile driven at BACs of .10 and above
• $2.10 per mile driven at BACs between .08-.09
• $0.10 per mile driven at BACs of .00

Costs per Drink
The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes in Virginia
averaged $0.90 per drink consumed. People other than the drinking driver paid $0.60 per drink.

Impact on Auto Insurance Rates

Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 21% of Virginia’s auto insurance payments. Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10% would save $54 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses. The estimates reported here were produced under National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Contract DTNH22-98-D-35079, Task Order 7.


Contact Information:
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE)
11710 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300
Calverton, Maryland 20705-3102
301-755-2700

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The Truth about "Frivolous Lawsuits"

Business lobbyists and their political allies have created a perception that America’s legal system has run amok. They point the finger at consumer and patient lawsuits, which they imply are concocted by “greedy trial lawyers.” They argue that lawsuits have detrimental effects on society and the economy, and effectively suggest that people should turn the other cheek when their rights are violated. President Bush and Vice President Cheney mimic these erroneous claims and make attacks on the legal system a central part of their campaign stump speeches. “See, everybody is getting sued,” says the President, and the lawsuits are “junk and frivolous.”

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Number of pro-business lobbyists in D.C. has doubled in five years

The number of registered lobbyists in Washington, D.C. has doubled during George W. Bush's administration, climbing from 16,342 in 2000 to 34,785 today. Charging as much as $1000 an hour and promising big results, the new wave of pro-active lobbying peddles influence on Capitol Hill like never before, reducing regulations on businesses and the insurance industry; influencing the federal tax code; and promoting more government spending in ways that deliver record profits to corporate America. Read the full article. - Washington Post, 6/25

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Are Lawsuits Really Driving Doctors Out of Business?

The insurance industry argues that weakening our legal system will strengthen the economy and improve access to health care. This is incorrect. The tort system ensures that the costs of injuries are borne by those who cause them, thus compensating victims and deterring unsafe conduct. Data shows:

(1) doctors are not leaving states with high malpractice premiums;

(2) unsuccessful lawsuits (often termed “frivolous”) have little impact on health care costs;

(3) lawsuit filings have decreased since 1992, and that the median jury award for personal injury cases fell 30 percent between 2000 and 2002.

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Wrongful Death - $2,500,000

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Drunk Driving Accidents

Injuries Caused by Drunk Driver = $475,000

Wreck Caused By Drunk Driver - Fractured Knee - $200,000

Injuries Caused By Drunk Driver - $110,000

Small But Unique Drunk Driving Case - $30,000

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Wrongful Death - $2,500,000

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