Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Once again drinking and driving has been pointed to as a contributing factor in yet another car accident in Queen Anne’s County. As a Baltimore personal injury lawyer and car accident attorney, I know all too well how alcohol can play a big role in traffic collisions. The pain inflicted on others as a result of another person’s negligent behavior can be extensive and long lasting.

In this latest incident, two people died when the vehicle in which they were riding crashed along a stretch of Maryland’s Route 8. According to news accounts, the accident happened around 8am on a Sunday morning when 41-year-old Victor A. Smith of Annapolis apparently lost control of his BMW, which then crossed the center line into oncoming traffic.

The Smith had been driving his black BMW northbound along Route 8 near Great Neck Road in Stevensville when the accident occurred. As the car veered into southbound traffic, 46-year-old Agnes C. Phelps tried to avoid Smith’s BMW by pulling off to the side of the road and onto the shoulder, according to police reports. Even so, Phelps’ car was hit by the BMW, which then caused both vehicles to leave the roadway.

As a result of the collision, two of Smith’s passengers died. Based on reports, the front seat passenger, 35-year-old Reginald L. Dean, was thrown from the car, while 33-year-old Teshawn D. Parker was partially ejected from the rear seat. Police reports indicate that none of the occupants in the BMW was wearing a seatbelt.

Police arriving on the scene noted that Smith had a strong smell alcohol on his breath. Emergency crews treated the two drivers, each of whom were then flown to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. In addition to alcohol, state police believe that speed was also a factor in the crash.

2 killed in accident in Queen Anne's County, BaltimoreSun.com, August 1, 2010

A single-vehicle passenger car accident can be the result of a number of factors, including defective vehicle components, bad weather, poorly maintained road surface, or driver error. As a Maryland car accident lawyer, I and my staff understand the pain and suffering that any serious traffic collision can inflict on drivers and passengers.

Whether the crash involves a single automobile, such as a sedan, minivan, SUV or pickup truck; a motorcycle or other two-wheeled motor vehicle; or a commercial truck, such as an 18-wheeler, box truck, or delivery van, the injuries sustained by the driver and/or passengers can be extensive depending on the circumstances.

Police investigators usually work to determine the cause of any serious accident to determine the contributing factors and ultimately who was at fault. In many cases, driver error is found to be the main reason for a car or truck crash -- other factors can be listed such as excessive speed, alcohol or drug use, poor visibility, etc.

A recent accident along the Capital Beltway left a 69-year-old Maryland man dead. According to police, 68-year-old Ulric Wair was headed south on Interstate 495 in a Nissan Maxima along the inner loop on a late Wednesday afternoon when he attempted to exit the expressway apparently at the last minute.

Maryland State Police troopers believe the driver steered his vehicle across the far two right lanes and shoulder and then hit a guardrail. The force of the collision with the railing caused Wair’s car to flip over causing him severe head trauma.

Emergency responders were called to the scene to administer medical attention however the man died at the scene from his injuries. The man was traveling alone in his car at the time of the accident and police believe that speed may have been a contributing factor in the accident. Alcohol was ruled out by investigators.

Man, 68, Killed In Capital Beltway Accident Near Oxon Hill, WUSA9.com, July 21, 2010

The actions of one individual can sometimes have severe and irreversible consequences for many other people. A moment’s distraction on the road can cause a serious traffic accident the result of which can mean injury or death of another person. As a Baltimore injury accident attorney representing automobile accident victims and their families, I have the skills to help these individuals recover from what is certainly one of the most traumatic events in their lives.

Whether a collision is caused by a drunk driver, hit-and-run driver, underinsured or uninsured motorists, resulting injuries can range from whiplash and burns to spinal cord paralysis and permanent nerve damage. The saddest outcome is the death of an innocent driver whose only mistake was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A recent news article illustrated how the simplest accident can result in a tragic and awful outcome. According to reports, a Leonardtown teenager was killed while driving her vehicle along Point Lookout Road. Based on police reports, 16-year-old Shelby Wood was killed on a mid-July afternoon when her car was struck from behind by another vehicle.

The young girl was apparently traveling southbound along Point Lookout Road near St. Andrew's Church Road in the later afternoon. After being rear-ended by the initial collision, the girl’s vehicle was pushed into the oncoming lane of traffic where it was struck a second time by another car.

Emergency crews treated the teen at the scene and then transported her by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital where she unfortunately died from her injuries not long after. Although police believed the accident was not caused by speed or alcohol, they were still investigating the crash at the time of the article.

Leonardtown Teen Shelby Wood Killed in Car Accident, MyFoxDC.com, July 13, 2010

It’s no secret that many traffic accidents are caused by impaired drivers. A subset of this group includes individuals who cause injury and death because they are intoxicated by alcohol, prescription medicine and illegal drugs (also referred to as controlled dangerous substances or CDS). People who are not fully in control of their faculties due to taking drugs or consuming alcohol can be the source of serious traffic collisions involving passenger cars, motorcycles and commercial trucks.

As a Maryland automobile accident attorney, I know the seriousness of injuries sustained by occupants of motor vehicles caught up in these kinds of impaired driving crashes or DUI-related accidents. What may be disconcerting to many people out there is that prosecuting these DUI offenders is not as simple as it may seem.

This is a shame, because thousands of people are killed or injured every year by the thoughtlessness of these individuals. From simple cuts and bruises to broken bones and permanent disability -- even death -- there is too much suffering imposed on so many by so few who lack a social conscience. Yet recourse against these irresponsible few is difficult according to experts.

A recent article points out the there is a delicate balance between individuals who have a legitimate need for prescription medication and the public good. More and more it is becoming common for drivers to be charged with driving under the influence of drugs following a car or commercial truck accident. According to law enforcement authorities, although drunk driving deaths have reportedly been dropping, there has been an increase in accidents caused by drivers impaired due to prescription painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sleep aids and other powerful drugs.

The situation has become increasingly worrisome for police officials nationwide because, unlike the effects of beer, wine and hard liquor, there is no agreement on what level of drugs in the blood driving impairment occurs.

Of course, the behavioral effects of legally prescribed drugs varies from one person to the next. Some drugs, such as anti-anxiety medications, can reduce driver’s level of alertness and reduce reaction time. Stimulants, on the other hand, can promote risk-taking and impair a person’s ability to judge distance. Then there is the issue of mixing prescription medication, taking these legal drugs with alcohol or even illicit drugs. All of which can make worsen a driver’s level of impairment, causing a sharp increase in the chances that a driver will cause a traffic accident.

Continue reading "Baltimore Car Accident News: Drug-impaired Drivers Injure Many, But Prosecution for DUI Difficult" »

Defective vehicle equipment can be the cause of many accidents however the reasons for the specific fault are not always apparent. A car, truck or motorcycle crash can happen out of a number of causes, such as poorly manufactured tires, damaged or neglected safety systems, poorly designed yet critical vehicle components, such as steering and suspension, or sometimes incorrect maintenance of certain mechanical parts.

As a Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyer, my main concern is for the victims of traffic collisions and victims' families. The burden of medical costs and lost wages can combine to put a strain on family members at one of the worst times of their lives. Add to this the possible death of a primary breadwinner due to fatal vehicle crash and you have a recipe for tragedy beyond that of the original car accident.

Recently, an Abington, MD, resident was killed when her vehicle left the roadway along a stretch of Interstate 695. According to news reports, 48-year-old Danita Marie Hasselbarth was driving her 1994 Chevy Camaro north along Harford Road toward the Baltimore Beltway. Once on the merging ramp the woman’s car apparently started to drift off the right-hand side of the road onto the adjoining grassy area next to the roadway.

Police investigators believe Hasselbarth then over-steered her vehicle in order to bring it back onto the road. Reports indicate that the driver lost control of her vehicle causing the car to spin and skid backwards toward a concrete barrier. Police reports show that the barrier at that point was positioned in such a way that it acted as a ramp and caused the car to be flipped over onto its roof.

There was no mention of fire, however when emergency responders arrived to assist the driver the paramedics from Baltimore County pronounced her dead at the scene.

Abingdon woman dies in I-695 car crash, ABC2News.com, July 11. 2010

As a Baltimore car and trucking accident lawyer, I am constantly aware of the preciousness of life. Looking at the news from day to day I am also reminded of the fragility and transitory nature of our lives here on Earth. This is especially true when it comes to the tens of thousands of unnecessary injuries and deaths that occur on our nation’s highways and city streets each year.

To anyone who picks up a newspaper or follows the evening news, it will come as no surprise that we as drivers live but scant moments away from possible death or severe injury. A recent news article brought that thought home lately when I read of a former Maryland resident who lost her life on a highway out West where she lived with her family.

According to reports, 40-year-old Kristen Ardinger Karn formerly of Hagerstown, MD, died recently following a tragic head-on car crash in Wyoming earlier this month. The accident occurred on a Monday morning while Karn was driving along a stretch of Highway 22 when her 2005 GMC Yukon was hit head-on by another vehicle.

Based on information from local highway patrol officers, a Ford F-150 pickup truck being driven eastbound by 40-year-old Cresencio Perez-Avila for some reason drifted into Karn’s lane. Highway patrolmen said a preliminary investigation showed that Perez-Avila’s truck went left of the centerline and collided with Karn’s vehicle.

Emergency crews arriving at the crash site pronounced Perez-Avila dead at the scene, while they administered medical attention to Karn before she was flown by helicopter to a regional medical center for further treatment. Amazingly, Karn’s child, who was in the right rear passenger seat.

Sadly the woman died from her injuries the next day. According to reports, Karn’s family and friends said the accident happened just when the woman’s life was beginning to peak; she had not long ago given birth to her first child.

Former Hagerstown woman dies after Wyoming crash, Herald-Mail.com, August 11, 2010

While we would all like to think that a church might be one of the safest places, there is much to be said about the dangers lurking in any vehicular traffic situation, be it a parking lot, pedestrian crossing or even a quiet street. There are hidden threats that all of these places present to drivers and pedestrians alike. As a Baltimore automobile accident attorney, I’ve certainly examined my share of pedestrian, car and truck accident scenes, but finding a fatal accident outside a church on Sunday is probably the farthest from anyone’s imagination.

That said, there is a caveat to every person who has walked through a parking area or public roadway: Be careful out there. Especially in places that give us the most comfort and feeling of security, this is where many people drop their guard and possibly increase their risk of bodily harm. While fatal pedestrian accidents may be fewer near a place of worship, the mix of people and cars means that the danger always exists. Any death is tragic, but such deadly accidents should be avoidable if all concerned are doing their part to thwart trouble.

According to a news report, two older parishioners were killed and a third person injured when a sport utility vehicle driven by 63-year-old Mary G. Camilleri suddenly accelerated in reverse hitting the three people. According to a spokesperson for the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, Camilleri’s vehicle slammed into another SUV and pushed it onto a sidewalk on North Seton Avenue. The vehicle then continued backwards and struck the pedestrians as they were attempting to cross the road. It came to a stop after hitting another parked car.

According to reports, 53-year-old John Cillo and Patricia Mauro-Cillo, 64, were both killed. The 89-year-old mother of Mauro-Cillo, Marian Derosa, was seriously injured.
News accounts stated that a parish nurse tried to revive John Cillo using a defibrillator kept in the church prior to the arrival of emergency personnel. Derosa was treated at the scene and then transported to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for additional medical attention and observation.

At the time of the article, investigators for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office were planning to meet with the state's attorney regarding possible charges against Camilleri.

Charges weighed in deaths of 2 outside Emmitsburg church, BaltimoreSun.com, August 9, 2010

Two people killed outside Emmitsburg parish, CatholicReview.org, August 10, 2010

Highway traffic accidents involving automobiles and heavy vehicles, such as 18-wheelers and commercial delivery trucks, can result in serious injury to the hapless occupants of the smaller passenger car. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen trucking accidents that have killed some, yet miraculously allowed others to walk away. Mostly, however, these kinds of car-truck collisions can lead to tragic results.

A recent news article pointed out the fatal nature of such collisions on public roads. According to reports, a Westminster, MD, crash involving four separate vehicles took the life of a young Maryland teen this past month. Based on police reports, the collision happened on a stretch of Maryland’s Route 27 when a northbound Saturn driven by 19-year-old Nicholas Louis Vidi for some reason veered into the path of a southbound garbage truck. The young Sykesville resident reportedly died at the scene of the accident, which occurred in Carroll County just south of Kate Wagner Road.

As a result of the initial crash, two other vehicles following Vidi’s Saturn also were caught up in the accident. A Honda Civic driven by Barry Mulligan narrowly avoided Vidi’s Saturn, but was hit by a fourth car driven by Lori Ann Lowe of Westminster. Lowe and the driver of the garbage truck, Jeannette Zelaya of Westminster, were injured during the incident according to police.

Emergency crews arriving at the scene could not revive Vidi. They treated Lowe and Zelaya before transporting the two to Carroll Hospital Center for non-life threatening injuries. Mulligan reportedly refused medical treatment. Although defective equipment is always a possible cause, at the time of the article police were still looking into the reason for the crash.

Westminster Maryland car-truck collision: Teenager killed after 4-car wreck, TopWireNews.com, July 22, 2010

Drinking and driving is one of the most common and most preventable causes of traffic accidents that modern society has faced. Deaths and injuries resulting from drunk drivers make the headlines of Maryland’s newspapers and local TV news programs more often than anyone would care to see.

Recently, a former high school football star from the River Hill school district was sentenced to a year and a half in jail after being convicted of a DWI-related traffic death late last year of a family friend. The accident happened in late November when now 23-year-old David Erdman was driving a 17-year-old friend, Steven Dankos, in his pickup truck in Howard County, Maryland.

A resident of Ellicott City, Edman pleaded guilty last May to negligent homicide as a result of driving while intoxicated. The charges stemmed from an early morning crash on November 30 when Erdman’s pickup hit several stone pillars. Dankos, who had been traveling in the bed of the pickup truck, was thrown from the vehicle to the ground. Police said that the vehicle was speeding at the time of the crash, which no doubt increased the severity of the accident.

According to news reports, Dankos, Erdman and Erdman's younger brother had all been out on the road following a round of post-football-game parties when the vehicle ran veered off Folly Quarter Road and hit the obstruction. Police said that Erdman's blood-alcohol content (BAC) reading following the crash was 0.21 percent -- or almost three times Maryland’s legal limit. The three occupants had been drinking at parties, according to court documents, some of which had been held in homes where the teens' parents allowed the drinking.

Erdman, who reportedly has already completed a 25-day outpatient alcohol abuse program, was sentenced to five years. However, the judge suspended all but 18 months of that sentence. Erdman will reportedly serve time in the Howard County Detention Center with the recommendation that he be considered for a work release program.

The case highlighted the fact that parents of the partiers had allowed underage teens to drink in their homes; certainly a senseless tragedy that may have been avoided if the adults in charge had been more responsible. Erdman shared the bulk of the blame as he reportedly could have accepted an offer from another friend to drive him and his friends home. , and she said the crash might not have happened at a lower speed. Police found the truck had been speeding on the rural roadway at the moment of the crash.

Former football star gets 18 months for drunk-driving death , BaltimoreSun.com, August 5, 2010

Head-on collisions are one of the most terrible traffic accidents that can happen. Fatalities are quite common in such instances, while broken bones, head, neck and back injuries, and serious internal injuries are also commonplace. As a Baltimore personal injury attorney and Maryland automobile accident lawyer, I understand well the physical and emotional trauma that can result from such a violent car crash.

The reasons for head-on highway collisions vary as well. Driver error, intoxicated driving, distractions in the vehicle and external factors can lead to a serious and many times fatal accident. Outside of driver error, one possible reason for any kind of traffic accident can be defective vehicle equipment.

Defective automobile equipment and components, such as braking, steering or other critical systems, can fail unexpectedly and cause a driver to lose control of a car, SUV or commercial truck. Poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured car and truck parts can be the source of both serious and minor auto accidents.

Automotive safety equipment, especially should be test and validated to be certain it is ready to perform correctly over tens of thousands of miles. Owners of a variety of defective vehicles have found out the hard way when parts or components have failed prematurely. The lucky ones escape with just some cuts and bruises. Other are not so lucky.

A recent crash on Seashore Highway may or may not have been the result of defective vehicle equipment. The only thing for certain is that one woman died as a result and several others were seriously injured during the accident.

According to news reports, a Baltimore woman was driving east on Route 18 in early July when her vehicle suddenly veered into the oncoming lanes near Bridgeville, MD. The 24-year-old driver died of injuries sustained when her Nissan Altima crashed into a westbound Chevrolet truck just before 8am on a Wednesday morning.

According to local police, Melissa Marie Mohl suffered severe head trauma as a result of the accident. The driver of the truck, 61-year-old Charles Cave Sr. and his passenger 12-year-old Demetrius Price were also injured in the collision. Mohl’s one-year-old son was a passenger in the Nissan. The baby was injured as well.

Emergency personnel arriving at the scene treated the victims, who were transported to local hospitals. Mohl was taken to Nanticoke Hospital where she later died of her injuries. At the time of the news article, the police were still investigating the cuase fo the accident.

Baltimore woman, 24, killed in crash near Bridgeville, DelmarvaNow.com, July 11, 2010

As Baltimore automobile accident attorney, I hear about numerous fatal car crashes that occur throughout Maryland every year. Some collisions happen as a result of driver error, while others are sometimes caused by defective vehicle equipment, such as poorly maintained brakes and tires, faulty safety components or defective suspension or steering systems.

Whatever the cause of a traffic accident, car-pedestrian collisions can be some of the worst, which also includes car-motorcycle and car-bicycle crashes. In all of these kinds of collisions, the person on foot or on two wheels has a very good chance of being severely hurt or even killed as a result.

A recent news article showed that one man, a Columbia resident, was sentenced to six months in jail following the death of an elderly woman he hit with his vehicle in November 2009. According to reports, 82-year-old Ayten Icgoren died the day after she was struck while trying to cross the street near the Owen Brown Village Center.

Police reports indicated that two witnesses saw 53-year James Walden Beaman Jr. hit the woman with his pickup truck and then leave the scene of the accident. The witnesses stated that Beaman's white Toyota wobbled and seemed to skid as he tried to stop on the wet pavement. Icgoren apparently tried to get out of the way but wasn’t fast enough to escape injury.

Police said that the driver then drove a short way to the village center, then reportedly returned after police and paramedics arrived at the scene of the collision. Although Beaman plead not guilty last May, but reportedly agreed to the facts presented by the prosecution during a hearing.

It was only recently that Beaman was sentenced to 18 months in jail, but most of the sentence was suspended with the defendant having to spend just six months in jail. Convicted for failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk as well as leaving the scene of the accident, the man was also ordered to complete 500 hours of community service, plus two years of supervised probation.

Columbia man jailed for hit and run, BaltimoreSun.com, July 15, 2010

From time to time, as Maryland pedestrians, we all run the risk of being injured by a passenger car or commercial truck as a result of an unexpected traffic accident. But few people imagine that they will be injured by a policeman riding in a squad car. Kids are a whole different story, and their actions can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

As a Baltimore and Washington, D.C., personal injury lawyer, I and my staff understand the physical pain and discomfort that can be associated with pedestrian-auto accidents. While nobody expects to be caught up in an accident with a motorcycle, SUV or minivan, fewer people still would picture themselves being hurt by a police car in their own neighborhood. However, this is apparently what happened to one poor child not long ago in North Baltimore.

According to news accounts, little Alvin Williams had his right leg broken when it was apparently run over by a Baltimore patrol car in July. The freak accident meant the 5-year-old boy would have to spend the balance of the summer with his leg in a cast, rather than playing with his friends. He likely suffered other injuries such as cuts and bruises during the accident.

Based on reports, the boy was playing with neighbors on a hot Tuesday evening when he reportedly ran across Sheridan Avenue as he followed another neighborhood kid. Police said that the youngster darted from between two parked cars and was subsequently hit by a police cruiser that had just turned off York Road. The department said that the officer did not see the child until it was too late.

The accident report shows that Alvin fell to the pavement after hitting the rear quarter panel of the police car cruiser, after which the vehicles back tire ran over the boy’s leg. According to witnesses, Alvin hit the front of the vehicle, fell down and was then run over by the cop’s front tire. While police claim the cruiser was traveling slowly, the boy’s grandfather said that the patrol car was "going at a good speed." The grandfather also claims that the officer was distracted because he was looking for another person in the area.

Continue reading "Baltimore Police Chief Sorry for Injuries Sustained by 5-Year-Old Maryland Boy in Traffic Accident" »