Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

A paralyzed man who had served seven years in prison for a terrible traffic accident in which a Hagerstown couple were killed in 2002 was recently arrested for violating a condition of his ongoing probation, that of not getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle in Maryland. As a Maryland auto accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I’ve seen many cases where a motorist was convicted of negligent manslaughter and sentenced to multiple years in prison.

According to news reports, 31-year-old Matthew David Meyer of Ellicott City, Maryland, has been on probation for several years now, having served his jail time for the deaths of Gerald and Mary Dietrich of Hagerstown, MD. Based on police reports, however, Meyer was taken into custody in mid-December by Howard County Sheriff, James Fitzgerald, a couple weeks ago for violating a no-drive order as part of his probation agreement.

Meyer had been sentenced to serve seven years in jail, as well as receiving another seven-year suspended sentence following his plea of no contest to two charges of vehicular manslaughter. The charges arose out of an October 23, 2002, car accident in which the Dietrichs, 59 and 61 years old, were killed when their pickup was hit by a BMW driven by Meyer. In situations such as this, a wrongful death lawsuit is one option that the family of the victims can choose to pursue.

According to court records, the prosecutors for the State of Maryland have recently stated that they considered Meyer “an assassin on wheels.” Meyer had reportedly been paralyzed in a 2000 crash in Pennsylvania but was still driving, according to reports, prior to fatal wreck that killed the Dietrichs. As condition of Meyer's seven-year probation was that he not be allowed to operate a motor vehicle in Maryland.

The order to issue the warrant signed last December 9 by Judge W. Kennedy stated that Meyer was still on three years' probation following his release from prison in 2008 and was issued a Maryland driver's license in April 2010 after completing a driver-improvement program.

Reports show that Meyer was cited for driving "at a speed in excess of reasonable and prudent" on June 29; the officer in charge reportedly clocked Meyer’s vehicle at 84mph in a 40mph zone. Less than a week later, on July 4, he was cited for another motor vehicle violation, according to the court order.

A hearing on the alleged violation of Meyer’s probation is scheduled for February 16, according to court records. If he is found in violation, Meyer could be facing another seven years in prison.

Driver imprisoned for manslaughter charged with violating probation, Herald-Mail.com, December 21, 2010

Ellicott City paraplegic, convicted in couple's death, accused of driving again, BaltimoreSun.com, December 22, 2010

Outside of driver error, single-vehicle traffic accidents can sometimes be caused by poorly maintained safety equipment, such as brakes or tires, or faulty component design or manufacture. Also know as defective equipment, incorrectly functioning vehicle parts and components can be a contributing factor associated with serious car, motorcycle and commercial truck accidents.

As Baltimore automobile injury accident lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen the results of car, truck and motorcycle crashes that have been caused by defective equipment. Situations involving bad part design that lead to a serious or fatal traffic collision go under the heading of products liability. The sad reality in many cases is that the accident could perhaps have been avoided if proper engineering or manufacturing procedures were followed.

As recent single-car accident, though not necessarily caused by a defective automotive component, nonetheless sent a man to the hospital with serious bodily injuries. According to news reports, the 20-year-old Prince Frederick driver was heading westbound along Leitches Wharf Road when for some reason he lost control of the vehicle. Police reports indicate that the crash, which occurred about one mile from Stoakley Road in Calvert County, MD.

Authorities said that the man, Joseph Wesley Raymond Hall, was found in critical condition inside his 2006 Honda Civic, which was seen resting against a nearby tree off the roadside. Emergency responders treated the man at the scene and then sent him to Baltimore Shock Trauma with serious and life-threatening injuries.

Based on news reports, police crash investigators said the driver’s vehicle skidded across the double yellow center line on and entered the east bound lane Leitches Wharf Road, then it left the roadway and hit a tree lying on the ground. The initial impact causes the vehicle to rotate counterclockwise before it hit a larger standing tree on the passenger side. Police said that the driver was belted in, but that speed and alcohol were also factors in the crash.

Prince Frederick Man Seriously Hurt in Single Vehicle Accident, SoMD.com, November 01, 2010

As Maryland auto injury attorneys serving individuals in cities such as Baltimore, Cumberland and Frederick, MD, as well as Washington, D.C., I and my colleagues look forward to a day when serious injuries and deaths from traffic-related accidents are a thing of the past. While that day may be well off, constant improvements in vehicle design and constantly evolving government safety regulations indicate some progress.

Because tens of thousands of people are killed on this nation’s roadways every year, there is always room for improvement. The cost from traumatic brain and spinal injuries sustained during a car crash can be astronomical for a family of limited means. Not only is medical care expensive, the cost to a family when one of the primary wage earners is laid up for an extended period can be financially devastating.

Protecting the occupants of a motor vehicle that is involved in a traffic collision on an expressway, country road or city street is the job of that motor vehicle’s passenger restraint system, as well as other safety components located throughout the car or truck. Granted, there’s a big difference in the protection offered by a car, SUV or minivan than what is provided to a motorcyclist involved in a similar road accident, but those occupants in a passenger car are still at risk nonetheless.

Recent changes in the 5-star safety ratings set fourth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may help to increase the level of protection that motor vehicle passengers can expect in the future. According to news reports,

Starting with 2011 models, new vehicle crash tests will likely make drivers and passengers alike feel safer and more secure when traveling in new cars. Based on reports, the new crash evaluation criteria include an enhanced 5-Star Safety Ratings System for new vehicles. The new testing now includes a side pole crash test and evaluation of in-vehicle crash prevention technologies. The latest criteria also marks the first use of female crash test dummies are to be used in crash scenarios.

As in the past, vehicles are rated from on a scale of one to five stars (one being lowest and five the highest). Under the old NHTSA guidelines, many vehicles received the maximum, 5-star rating, however that will likely change with the new system now in place. This is reportedly because the new standards are much more strict. In fact, many previous 5-star rated vehicles are likely to drop in the rankings under the new system.

Continue reading " Maryland Auto Accident Update: NHTSA’s Revised Passenger Car Safety Ratings Look to Improve Occupant Safety " »

As a Baltimore auto injury attorney and personal injury lawyer, I and my colleagues have seen all manner of severe and fatal automobile wrecks. Many crashes are caused by simple human error, while others can be the result of defective vehicle components, poor judgment, or worse, conscious decision to violate the laws of the State of Maryland.

Malicious or not, these kinds of terrible car accidents can and do claim innocent lives. Regardless of whether the accident involves an automobile, motorcycle of commercial truck, a driver who over-indulges in the consumption of alcohol, prescription medication or illegal narcotics before getting behind the wheel can many times be the cause of a deadly DUI crash. Other individuals, such as the two men implicated in a fatal car accident last month, actively choose to break the law and end up killing or maiming another person.

This latest crash combined a joyriding scenario with drinking and driving. The result was sad, yet not unexpected considering the potential for injury that high vehicle speeds and impaired vehicle operation can cause. According to the news, three innocent people are now dead as a result of a car theft gone wrong on a Sunday night.

Based on Baltimore County police reports, two men who had previously stolen a Lincoln Town Car were driving at a high rate of speed along West Ostend St. The Lincoln hit a second car carrying one female and two male passengers just after 11:30pm. The accident occurred near the intersection of W. Ostend and South Hanover streets, according to police reports.

The victims, all teenagers, were taken to Baltimore’s Shock Trauma Center but doctors were unable to save any of them. All three died early Monday morning from injuries sustained during the accident.

Police officers who were nearby when the crash occurred pursued the two suspects after they left the accident scene on foot and caught them not far from the crash. One suspect, Charles Johnson, believed to be the driver was charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter as well as vehicle theft. News reports show that the man was also charged with possession of marijuana, a controlled dangerous substance. Authorities indicate that Johnson was already on probation for other instances of theft and records show that he did not have a valid driver's license a the time of the crash.

At least two dead after crash with stolen vehicle, BaltimoreSun.com, November 1, 2010

Crash Involving Stolen Car Kills 3, WBALTV.com, November 1, 2010

Anyone who watches the evening news will agree that you don’t have to be riding in a motor vehicle to be hurt as a result of a car crash. Pedestrians and bicycle riders are two groups of people that are constantly in the news due to traffic-related injuries. As a Maryland auto accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I also can say that when it comes to car-versus-person impacts, the car or commercial truck almost always wins.

Frankly, it’s not uncommon to see fatalities in cases where pedestrians have been hit by an oncoming car, truck or city bus. Some people don’t even see the accident coming, especially in cases like the one in the news not long ago. According to reports, two diners at a local Mexican restaurant were sent to the hospital after a passenger car drove through the front of the building.

Police reports indicate that a Honda Accord crashed through the glassed-in entryway of La Promesa Taco Shop on York Road just before 3am on a Sunday morning. News reports show that around 30 people were in the restaurant at the time of the accident. Based on reports, witnesses said that the Honda drove through an adjacent Jiffy Lube facility then went over a curb and drove across the restaurant’s parking lot before hitting the building.

In all, three customers were injured as a result of the errant vehicle. Two of those people were taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. One patron had his foot run over by the car, which entered the building and stopped nearly halfway in. That person was taken to Greater Baltimore Medical Center after being injured. At the time of the article, Baltimore County police did not have the name of the driver or the specific cause of the accident, such as defective brakes or other vehicle equipment malfunction.

Three injured in La Promesa car crash, ThetowerLight.com, 31 October 2010

Young people do some of the strangest things growing up, most are harmless and lead to nothing more than a rebuke by a parent or police officer. There are other instances, where automobiles, motorcycles and commercial trucks are involved, when a simple lack of judgment results in serious bodily injury and sometimes even unexpected death.

Fatal car crashes and truck accidents are nothing new in metropolitan areas such as Baltimore, Cumberland and Hagerstown. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer and injury attorney, I and my colleagues have the training and experience to help victims and their families recover costs related to serious car and motorcycle wrecks, such as extended medical treatment, lost income due to a car crash, and other related expenses.

Not long ago a young man was killed while riding in a vehicle that was traveling eastbound along Davidsonville Road in Anne Arundel Co. According to witnesses, the 19-year-old resident of Silver Spring, MD, was leaning out the right rear window of a 2004 Chevrolet truck apparently trying to get the attention of some friends walking across a nearby field when the vehicle reportedly sideswiped a utility pole.

According to police reports, the accident occurred just before 6pm on a Monday afternoon. Emergency responders arriving at the scene found David Shigeru Yamamoto Hepner critically injured. Based on police information, Hepner was one of several occupants in the truck as it headed east on Governor Bridge Road with 18-year-old Zachary Taylor Bennett at the wheel.

Police stated that when the teens saw some friends walking in a field just south of the road, they yelled and waved, with Hepner hanging out the window from his waist. For some reason the vehicle moved far enough to the right of the roadway so that Hepner was hit by an approaching telephone pole. Two other passengers were in the vehicle at the time. Amanda Dawn Scott, 19, and Julia Sophianna Rubin, 18, were apparently uninjured as a result of the accident.

The young man was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Based on the news article, there was no vehicle mechanical problem given that would have caused the vehicle to have moved so far to the right, however police did say that vehicle speed or alcohol were not apparent factors leading to the fatal accident.

Man, 19, hanging out truck window killed in crash with pole, Baltimoresun.com, Ocotber 19, 2010

Whatever the cause of serious car or truck crash, the results can be terrible for the occupants and their families. Regardless of the reasons, a fatal automobile accident can deeply affect lives of victim’s relatives and close friends. A recent accident reported in the news brings up a point that bears repeating: Always wear your seatbelt.

If we could predict the future, those who choose not to wear their safety belt might do better over time, but since traffic wrecks are not predictable, drivers and passengers are smart to belt-up whenever going out onto the road. As a Maryland personal injury lawyer and auto accident attorney, I understand how extensive a person’s injuries can be following a bad car accident.

The fatal crash in question reportedly occurred in Montgomery County, MD, on a Friday night as three people were traveling in a Honda Accord sedan along Chandlee Mill Road around 10pm in the evening. According to police, 19 -year-old David Oughton somehow lost control of the vehicle which then left the roadway and hit a tree by the roadside. Based on police reports, the driver died at the scene. He was allegedly not wearing his seatbelt.

The two other passengers, 16-year-old Khadijah Hopkins and 25-year-old Ebony Lee were both injured in the crash. Hopkins, who was the front-seat passenger, was transported by emergency responders to Baltimore Shock Trauma; at the time of the report, he was listed in critical condition. Lee, who was seated in the back of the vehicle, was taken to Suburban Hospital in reportedly serious, but stable condition.

Although Montgomery County police were still investigating the accident at the time of the news article, authorities stated that none of the riders was his or her safety belt. No cause had been given, however these kinds of accidents can occasionally be attributed to driver error or defective vehicle equipment, among other causes.

Bull Run man killed in Maryland wreck, InsideNoVa.com, October 31, 2010

Single vehicle accident kills one, injures two, ABC2News.com, October 30, 2010

Over the past year we’ve seen lot of traffic accidents resulting from aggressive driving. While it might be a dream to hope for complete harmony on Maryland’s roadways, the fact of the matter is being civil and courteous to your fellow motorists makes for a safer and more event-free commute. Sadly, there is a portion of the driving public that either has no thought for others or is simply too focused on their own agenda to worry about another individual’s rights or safety.

As Baltimore auto injury attorneys, my firm has represented dozens of people injured as a result of another person’s negligence. Aggressive drivers, it is now known, account for a large number of car and truck wrecks every year here in Maryland and across the U.S. Regardless of whether you living in Hagerstown, Rockville or Frederick, MD, you probably take one or more of Maryland’s highways to get to work, school or to go shopping. And the chances of getting caught in an accident caused by an aggressive driver are pretty high these days.

It’s a fact that the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that more than half of all fatal passenger car and commercial truck crashes were the result of some type of aggressive driving. Those who survive such accidents can end up with serious injuries as well as long-term medical problems, the cost of which can be a continuing burden on the individual and his or her family for years after the actual crash.

Based on the finding by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety using data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found that one in three deadly car crashes are directly related to speed. Speeding is one of the primary traits of the aggressive driver.

The point we would like to make is that in this day and age, with society moving at such a past pace, doing your part to be a good driver may not be enough. As responsible adults, we must all be diligent and aware of the surrounding traffic on the road. Avoiding potentially dangerous accident situations caused by those few aggressive drivers is one way to protect yourself and your family from a tragic event.

Be cautious. Experts advise drivers to fight the impulse to impede an obviously aggressive driver by getting in front of him in an effort to slow him down. While it may seem like a good idea at the time, police and other traffic safety experts will tell you that it may only escalate the aggressive driver’s bad behavior and put you and your passengers in danger of an accident.

Considering the potential risk, it is a much better idea to simply report incidents of blatant aggressive driving to your local police department or the Maryland State Police. As the saying goes, “Be safe and arrive alive.”

With the holidays not far away, this may be a good time to remind everyone to be especially cautious when driving this winter. From the standpoint of traffic accidents, after-work parties, holiday gatherings and other festivities always invite some amount of alcohol consumption. While most Maryland residents are aware of the way in which beer, wine and hard liquor can impair a driver’s judgment, some individuals choose to ignore that fact and drive anyway.

As a Baltimore automobile accident and personal injury lawyer, I and my colleagues have seen the results of more than enough DWI and DUI accidents to know that it’s not worth the risk to drive while under the influence of alcohol. Passenger car crashes, motorcycle wrecks and commercial trucking collisions have all been caused from time to time by a drunken or drug-impaired driver.

The seriousness of any accident will typically impact the number and extent of any injuries sustained by the occupants of each vehicle involved in the collision. Depending on the kind of accident -- head-on crash, rollover, side-impact collision, etc. -- passengers can receive mild to severe injuries. From minor cuts and bruises to heavy concussions and spinal trauma, the potential for extensive and prolonged medical treatment is always present.

Not long ago, two people traveling on foot during the early morning hours on a Sunday were killed by a passing vehicle. According to police, the double pedestrian fatality occurred just before 3:30am when the two victims were in a crosswalk on Rockville Pike near the White Flint Metro station in Rockville, MD.

The two were identified as Adam Joseph Hosinski and Rory Joseph Weichbrod, both 26 years old and residents of Silver Spring. Hosinski died at the scene, while Weichbrod was transported to Suburban Hospital where he, too, died from his injuries.

According to police reports, the two victims were hit by a black Acura TSX traveling northbound on Rockville Pike. After the collision, both the driver and passenger got out of the car, perhaps to check on the two men. A witness to the crash followed the car as it drove a short distance, turning right onto Old Georgetown Road before returning to the scene of the accident.

Police on the scene administered a field sobriety test to the driver who was taken into custody on probable cause of driving under the influence. At the time of the article police had not yet charged the driver and were still talking to witnesses. No mention was made as to the driver’s blood-alcohol level at the time of the incident.

Double Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Rockville, NBCWashington.com, October 11, 2010