Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Many people subscribe to the adage, Bad things come in threes, but sadly this saying would apply to one news article we ran across a while back. Although many individuals are hurt or permanently injured in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., areas, it is true that a percentage of car, truck and motorcycle roadway collisions result in fatalities.

That said, it in no way lessens the shock and grief that tend to overwhelm a family members following the untimely death of a relative or close family friend. As Baltimore injury accident lawyers, I and my legal staff have developed a deep understanding of the pain and heartache that many of our clients have experienced following a tragic car or trucking-related wreck.

Not surprisingly, the emotional hurt is only one aspect of a serious injury or fatal traffic accident. For those families whose primary breadwinner is involved in a fatal car or truck crash, the loss of income in itself can place a terrible burden on a family that may already have been struggling in this current economy. Even when the news is not as grave for a an automobile accident victim, the weeks or months spent in a hospital -- unable to work or earn a living to his or her maximum potential -- can also bring a family’s economic survival into question.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Three Separate Maryland Traffic Fatalities in St. Mary’s, Calvert and Charles Counties" »

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys, we are always at odds with the actuaries and statistics people, not because we don’t believe the numbers, but because it’s a hard pill to swallow that X-number of innocent people will be injured in car and trucking-related accidents from one year to the next. Unlike those who tally only numbers, as Maryland personal injury lawyers, we are all too familiar with the pain and suffering of our clients.

This brings up an interesting topic that many have touched on over the years; that of drunken driving accidents, injury and fatal, which happen more than anyone would like to admit. Among the top candidates for senseless traffic collisions has to be drunken driving wrecks. This category of car, truck and motorcycle collision is by far the most preventable, since it usually involves a driver who more or less chose to drive in an impaired state.

Truly, victims and families of those killed in DWI and DUI car crashes must live with the memory for the rest of their lives; knowing that the death of their loved one in a sometimes terrible car or truck wreck need no have happened at all if it wasn’t for the thoughtless consumption of alcohol, or the reckless use of prescription or illicit drugs.

We’re told by many authorities that drunk driving arrest rates are down across the country, and by association the number of crashes have dropped as well. But the question that comes to mind amid all this “good" news is whether or not people are drinking and driving less.

Continue reading "Baltimore Traffic Accident Update: Reviewing the Statistical Danger of Meeting a Drunken Driver in Maryland" »

Anyone new to the Baltimore area should be advised that the city’s bars and other drinking establishments get a special pass each year regarding their operating hours during the New Year. Specifically, state law will allow bars in the city to remain open literally “24-7” from New Year’s Eve through 2am on Monday, January 2. While law enforcement efforts to curb drunken driving are ongoing, we cannot stress enough the need for caution when driving in and around the city during the holiday weekend.

Quite frankly, although drunk driving has for decades been under attack nationwide by state and federal government and law enforcement agencies, the fact remains that the same people who drink still use a car to get around. Designated driving campaigns are helpful, but it’s not hard to imagine that more than a few drunken bar patrons are going to head home this weekend without a sober ride.

Traffic wrecks involving commercial trucks may not be the primary type of injury accident during the New Year’s holiday, but car-to-car collisions are likely to be the order of the day -- and night. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen the result of alcohol-related car, truck and motorcycle accidents; none of which are particularly pretty.

Given the number of DWI- and DUI-related traffic incidents in any one year, it is a certainty that we will see our share of crashes in Baltimore, Rockville, Annapolis and the District this season as well. What we should all keep in mind is that the danger exists and should be avoided whenever possible.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Accident Update: Beware of New Year’s Weekend in Baltimore and Potential Drunk Driving Wrecks" »

From the standpoint of most people who drive on Maryland’s roadways, drinking and driving is an activity that we all wish was a thing of the past. But, sadly, as Baltimore automobile and trucking accident lawyers, I and my legal staff know that drunken driving will likely be with us for some time to come. With human nature what it is, it can sometimes take a long while for individuals to see the light even after society as a whole has accepted an idea or renounced a certain practice.

Without a doubt, over the past several decades the mixture of cars and alcohol has been a major contributor to highway deaths across the country. Locally, in Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, not to mention Washington, D.C., anti-drunk driving campaigns have slowly made inroads toward creating a safer driving environment for all concerned. Still, as we say, there is much work to be done to eliminate the threat.

Anyone who has been involved in a car or motorcycle accident caused by a drunken driver can relate to this subject on a very personal level. Anyone who has lost a loved one due to a fatal DWI or DUI traffic collision knows the pain and the emptiness that follows; a void in one’s life that can never truly be filled. While it is our job, as Maryland personal injury attorneys, to help provide a modicum of closure to those who have lost a loved one in a car or commercial truck accident, no amount of recompense can ever take the place of a deceased relative, spouse or child.

For the people who survive a serious automobile wreck, the injuries sustained -- such as head, neck and spinal cord injuries; internal injuries; broken bones and compound fractures -- the path to recovery is sometimes long and hard. And, it goes without saying, that medical costs for prolonged treatment and rehabilitation can quickly become a burden on a family, especially in cases where the injured party is a major income earner.

With all this understood, it seems odd that individuals continue to drink and drive, and thus expose others and themselves to potential physical harm and even death. A short while ago we read of a man who apparently could not take responsibility for his actions after crashing his vehicle into a utility pole along a portion of Kenilworth Avenue.

Described in police reports as uncooperative, the 29-year-old driver allegedly was speeding when he drove a black sedan into a pole on the roadside, trapping his passenger in the car until emergency responders could arrive to free the victim. Based on reports, the accident occurred at about 11pm on a Tuesday evening when the car hit the light pole on the southbound side of the roadway.

Riverdale Heights volunteer firefighters responded to the call, as did personnel from the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department. Police reports indicate that the driver initially had wanted to leave the crash site, however apparently decided to stay as emergency responders began to arrive.

According to news reports, the suspect allegedly denied the fact that he was at the wheel at the time of the accident, however a woman who was the only other occupant in the car claimed that the man was driving the entire time. The unnamed driver, who was later transported to a local hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test, and also declined to sign the citation issued by the officer in charge.

Ultimately, the man was charged with operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, speeding, DUI, driving while impaired, reckless and negligent driving, as well as a number of other violations. No mention was made as to the condition of the female passenger.

Driver Faces Litany of Charges After Car Slams Into Utility Poll, Patch.com, November 24, 2011

As mentioned prior to Thanksgiving, the end-of-year holiday season appears to be a good excuse for some Maryland motorists to drink and drive, making the state's highways and secondary roads more dangerous for the rest of us. As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and personal injury lawyers, we know how a simple ride to school, work or the store can turn into a life or death struggle to survive a horrendous traffic accident.

Sadly, the message that drunken driving is a danger to everyone -- perpetrator included -- has not made it to the ears of those most responsible for these kinds of accidents. As a result, drivers in Gaithersburg, Annapolis, Rockville and the District can expect to face continued threat of roadways collisions caused by drunk drivers.

This is not just a theory of ours, but a fact that recent news articles already have confirmed. According to reports, Drunk driving arrests are already up this season based on the opening weeks of a statewide law enforcement safety initiative. Injuries from auto, truck and motorcycle accidents are just as painful and debilitating whether they are caused by distraction, aggression or impairment from alcohol or other substances.

According to news reports, the interval between Thanksgiving and New Year’s has come to be regarded by traffic safety experts as one of the most dangerous times to be driving on Maryland roads. These experts point to a new crop of young adults who don’t remember Maryland’s targeted anti-drunk driving enforcement efforts begun in the late 1980s and carried on into the early ‘90s. Nearly 20 years ago, as news articles remind us, police agencies first began to notice a disturbing trend in drinking and driving. Now, with a new generation coming of age, those older initiatives are apparently not in the current consciousness, hence the renewed enforcement efforts of late.

Police departments across the state arrested nearly 20 drivers for driving under the influence on Thanksgiving eve, a figure that is practically two times that of last year. (The night before Thanksgiving has over the past several years become known as the most dangerous time due to the large number of motorists who likely drink and drive.)

Continue reading "Baltimore Traffic Safety News: Maryland Drivers Face Dangerous Roads in December Due to Increased Drunken Driving" »

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, but the holiday weekend will continue for several days. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we feel it is important to advise caution when venturing out onto the state’s highways and surface streets during the coming holiday. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 42.5 million motorists nationwide will be hitting the roads this holiday weekend.

Here in Maryland, experts estimate that nearly 90 percent of residents will at one time or another be driving during the coming days -- 800,000 people traveling to destinations all across the state. With this in mind, it is essential to remember that Thanksgiving has in many parts of the country become known more as drinking holiday than for the traditional family gatherings of the post.

As Maryland auto and trucking accident attorneys, I and my staff know that roadway collisions can and do happen everyday. While crashes of any kind are quite common, motor vehicle wrecks involving alcohol can make up more than 30 percent of all fatal incidents. Driving during this coming holiday weekend should be undertaken with caution and eyes wide open.

Although gasoline prices are more than 15 percent higher than a year ago this time, traveling by car is still one of the more cost-effective modes, especially when going relatively short distances of 100 miles or so. The gradual rise in fuel prices is not likely to limit the number of cars, trucks or even motorcycles on the road this weekend.

Safety when driving is an important consideration when noting the increased number of cars on the road when compared to other traveling-related holidays. According to the AAA, Thanksgiving holiday traffic represents is the first significant increase in vehicular traffic of the entire year to date. Based on news reports, Memorial Day travel was, one the whole, unchanged from previous years, while the July Fourth and Labor Day holidays saw slight decreases in travel.

Continue reading "‘Tis the Season for Drinking and Driving? Thanksgiving Holiday May Pose Dangers on Maryland Roadways" »

Highway deaths in and around Baltimore, Rockville, the District, and Frederick, MD, occur for dozens of reasons every month. Many of these fatal car, motorcycle and commercial trucking accidents could possibly be avoided or mitigated in one way or another, but sadly not all. Drunken driving contributes to a significant percentage of car, truck and motorcycle crashes, a result of which is a substantial number of occupant injuries including closed-head trauma, spinal cord damage, and internal injuries.

A local Annapolis bar was in the news recently as law enforcement and the public focused on the serving of alcohol to underage patrons. According to news articles, the Acme Bar and Grill is under fairly intense scrutiny for an episode that occurred this past summer. Based on reports, the bar allegedly served several underage customers on June 15, two of whom died in a motorcycle wreck just minutes after walking out of that drinking establishment.

The incident raised serious questions about the bar’s practices vis-à-vis serving underage individuals, in particular those who may go out and drive a motor vehicle while intoxicated. While personal responsibility is a fine ideal, the law stipulates that people under the age of 21 cannot be served liquor legally. Criminal charges are not unusual in cases like this where a young person has been injured or died after being sold alcohol at a bar, liquor store or restaurant.

According to news articles, last summer’s incident involved two people allegedly known to at least one of the bar’s staff to be underage. Events following the entry of 20-year-old
Craig Eney, Jr., and 19-year-old Kelcey Silva transpired rather quickly, based on police reports. After stopping by the bar around in the early morning hours of that fateful day, both individuals consumed sufficient alcohol to raise their blood-alcohol content (BAC) to levels exceeding the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Continue reading "Annapolis Personal Injury News: Bar Sold Liquor to Underage Maryland Motorist Who Died in Fatal Accident" »

Disconcerting as it may be, a recently released study by the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that men are more inclined to operate car, trucks and motorcycles while under the influence of alcohol than are females. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we are hardly surprised at the finding of this study, which clearly indicates that male drivers take to the road more often while intoxicated than most any other segment of the driving public.

Although is certain that not everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car, motorcycle or commercial motor vehicle is legally intoxicated, it can be said that many people who do operate motor vehicles while impaired to some degree may not actually realize the chance they take with their lives, much less the lives of innocent people all around them.

Here in Baltimore, as well as Gaithersburg, Rockville, Annapolis and Washington, D.C., even persons who are stopped by police and subsequently charged with drunken driving, may actually be surprised that they had a blood-alcohol content (or BAC) of 0.08-percent or more.

If only for this reason, the Maryland State Police and local law enforcement departments continually try to enforce our anti-drunk driving laws. Of course, a portion of those motorists arrested for driving while impaired are actually under the influence of doctor-prescribed medication; some are even high on illegal drugs.

Regarding the CDC’s report, men nationwide are reportedly four times more likely to drive drunk than women motorists. Based on news reports, the study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates why men many times find themselves being ticketed for drunken driving more than women.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury Update: Nationwide, Male Drivers More Likely to Drink and Drive than Females" »

Drinking and driving is a quick way to put oneself into the hospital, or worse. There is no end to the good arguments for curbing drunk driving, while there is no legitimate rationale to defend the practice. Every year, tens of thousands of people are hurt or killed by drunken drivers, including the offenders themselves. Even when there are no other factors that might contribute to a crash, just being impaired can be a cause in and of itself for a serious or fatal traffic accident.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my staff understand how circumstances can conspire to create the opportunity for a tragic car, truck or motorcycle accident. How a driver reacts when such conditions occur can make the difference between a simple fender-bender, a serious roadway collision, or a fatal car or commercial truck wreck. A driver who actively drinks and drives only increases the chances of his or her being less able to respond quickly to an accident situation.

One type of automobile crash can be caused by a failure of a car or truck's safety or critical operating systems, such as steering or braking component failure or malfunction. When a defective component that is critical to controlling a vehicle fails, the driver may not be able to avoid an accident. Being drunk at the time of a catastrophic mechanical failure only makes it more difficult to react to the event.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Accident News: Police Suspect Faulty Wheel and Alcohol in Baltimore Beltway Single-car Crash" »

Personal injury and property damage are two of the main results of most any traffic accident. Whether you live in Rockville, Annapolis, the District or here in Baltimore, a serious automobile, truck or motorcycle collision can put one or more people in the hospital with potentially life-altering injuries.

Car, cycle and commercial trucking wrecks are usually caused by one or more factors, not the least of which may include a drunk or distracted driver, an uninsured or under-insured motorist, an inexperienced or under-qualified truck driver, or a negligent hit-and-run driver, among others. As a roadway accident victim or relative of an individual injured or killed in a highway collision, sometimes litigation is the only option to recovering sometimes huge medical costs and rehabilitation expenses following a serious traffic wreck.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my colleagues know the pain and suffering that even a moderate fender-bender can cause, much less a violent roll-over crash or head-on collision. Injuries sustained in the worst of these accidents can entail whiplash and other injuries to the neck and spine, nerve damage and possible paralysis, simple and compound fractures of the legs and arms, as well as potentially fatal closed-head trauma.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Injury Accident Update: Passengers Suffer from Numerous Injuries Post-crash including Soft Tissue" »

If you handle automobile accident cases such as those that occur every week here in Maryland, it doesn’t take long before one sees a drunk driving-related injury accident. And while serious traffic collisions are not uncommon, fatal car, truck and motorcycle wrecks happen frequently in and around Baltimore, Rockville, Gaithersburg and Washington, D.C.

As Maryland personal injury attorneys and car accident lawyers, I and my staff represent individuals and families who have been adversely affected by the negligence of other drivers. Whether through inattention, carelessness or malicious motivation, innocent victims of highway or urban automobile and commercial trucking crashes can be permanently disabled or killed as a result of a traffic wreck.

As mentioned in these pages on numerous occasions, the human toll from car and truck accidents can range between mild and severe, sometimes even fatal. Not only can passengers receive painful injuries such as broken bones, compound fractures, deep lacerations and dislocated joints, internal injuries as well as closed-head and spinal cord injuries can result from medium to high-speed collisions.

Trucking-related crashes can be some of the more intense wrecks and cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries to the driver and other occupants riding in a smaller passenger car that is hit by a big rig or commercial delivery vehicle. Of course, even collisions between smaller passenger cars can have serious repercussions for the occupants of sedans, minivan and sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

In particular, drunken driving accounts for a significant percentage of traffic fatalities here in Maryland and across the nation. State and local law enforcement agencies are constantly watching for intoxicated drivers, however many of these inconsiderate drivers go months or years without being involved in a serious car, truck or pedestrian accident. However, when a collision does occur, the results can be catastrophic for the occupants of either vehicle.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Injury News: Maryland Driver Gets 20 Years for Fatal DWI-related Traffic Accident" »

How often have we all read the words, “Accident victims were evacuated to local hospitals by Medevac helicopter,” yet it’s not often that people give much thought to the life-saving advantages of a medical chopper flight to a not-so-local hospital. While many readers might consider medevac services truly useful only when an individual is injured in car accident that occurs in a remote part of the countryside, such as a state park or other more rural setting, it’s not uncommon to have emergency responders call for a medical evacuation chopper in instances where the best medical care more than a 30-minute ambulance ride from the scene of a severe car or pedestrian traffic accident.

The fact is, medevac helicopters can get a person injured in an auto accident to the right medical facility for treatment of specific or life-threatening injuries. It can be said that in a percentage of accidents, just taking an injured driver or passenger to the closest hospital may not be in that person’s best interest. This is especially clear in cases of traumatic brain injury -- also known as closed-head injury -- where the nearest local medical facility is poorly equipped for such specific and critical care.

As Baltimore auto accident lawyers and Maryland personal injury attorneys, I and my staff understand the importance of getting a car, truck or motorcycle accident victim stabilized as quickly as possible to avoid future complications. So many factors come into play following a highway collision that only the medical personnel at the scene can assess each victim and determine the most immediate and effective care.

Continue reading "Baltimore Auto Accident News: Medevac Choppers Help Get Victims of Traffic Accidents to Hospitals Quickly" »

Almost anyone can be hurt or killed in a traffic accident. That’s a sad fact of life in a densely populated state such as Maryland. Throw in the usual, and mostly preventable causes -- such as drinking and driving, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of prescription medication, driving while distracted, and even drowsy driving -- and you will find that more and more people are hurt or fatally injured in traffic accidents every day.

It’s unfortunate that most of the injuries caused by drunken drivers are usually sustained by the other victims, not the suspect. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen the more tragic results of DWI and DUI accident cases, inlcuding serious traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and internal organ damage have been known to occur. The recovery time for individuals who receive serious or critical injuries in car, truck and motorcycle crashes can range from weeks to months, with full recovery not always achieved until years later for an unlucky few.

Just last month, a Harford County sheriff's deputy was seriously injured in the line of duty along a stretch of Rte 40 out in Joppa, MD. The accident, according to police reports, happened in the early morning hours on a Wednesday when an allegedly drunk driver went out of control and hit the Deputy Brad Sives who was stopped in his patrol car at the intersection of Routes 40 and 152.

Based on reports, the four-year sheriff's department veteran was waiting for the green signal when the collision occurred. According to news article, the accident happened after 2am when a late model Nissan 350Z driven by 21-year-old Kevin Johnstone of Edgewood, Maryland, was turning right onto westbound Rte 40 at what police described as a high rate of speed.

The driver of the sports car apparently lost control and hit the roadway’s median, which sent the vehicle into the air and impacting the left side of the patrol car. The force of the impact caused severely damaged the deputy’s vehicle which was shoved across the southbound travel lanes and onto the shoulder of Rte 152. The officer was reportedly trapped in his vehicle for nearly 45 minutes.

Emergency responders from Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company arrived on the scene and were able to extricate the Sives from the damage patrol car. After likely being treated at the crash site, the patrolman was flown via medevac helicopter to Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore where he was admitted for treatment of apparently minor injuries. News reports indicate that the officer was released from the hospital later that same morning.

According to police reports, Johnstone had one passenger with him at the time of the crash. Police stated that both occupants of the Nissan were wearing safety belts and were apparently uninjured in the accident.

At the time of the news articles, Johnstone was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence per se, reckless and negligent driving, as well as failure to control his vehicle’s speed in order to avoid a collision. The suspect was still being held in Harford County’s Inter Agency Processing Center at the time of the reports.

Accident investigation and cleanup was still underway at the Rte 152/40 intersection several hours following the two-vehicle wreck. The roadway was reportedly reopened to vehicle traffic by 7:45am that same morning.

Suspected drunk driver crashes, injures Harford deputy, BaltimoreSun.com, June 15, 2011

Harford County Deputy Hit by Alleged Drunk Driver, Patch.com, June 15, 2011

As citizens of this state, we rely on our police, fire and other emergency responders to provide safety and security to the public as a whole. To us, even as Maryland personal injury lawyers, it is difficult to reconcile any connection of a public servant with a negligent act that injures or kills another individual. Being sworn to serve and protect is the basis of a police officer’s duty to the local citizenry.

With that said, however, we understand that human beings can and do make errors in judgment that impact the safety of others around them. As automobile, trucking and motorcycle accident attorneys, we understand how a potentially deadly scenario can develop quickly to the point that someone is seriously or fatally injured in a car or trucking-related wreck. Drinking and driving is one such instance when a supposedly competent and law-abiding individual can cause the death of another person without reason.

Not long ago, an off-duty Annapolis police officer was apparently involved in a fatal drunken driving accident, although the officer’s potential responsibility regarding the collision was still an open issue even months after the accident. According to police reports, 52-year-old Officer James Salyers allegedly had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.19 percent following a motor vehicle accident that killed a teenager from Glen Burnie.

The crash occurred on Potee Street in Brooklyn, MD, last October when a Cadillac CTS that Salyers was driving hit a Dodge Durango sport utility vehicle driven by 19-year-old Philip Dornberger III of Pasadena. The officer’s vehicle was reportedly traveling southbound at 71mph in a 40 zone and the force of the traffic accident caused the westbound Durango to spin out; during the event, 19-year-old Andrew Arnold-McCoy of Glen Burnie was thrown out of the left rear passenger window and onto the pavement.

Emergency rescue personnel arriving on the scene treated Arnold-McCoy who was then transported via ambulance to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the man was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital.

Continue reading "Maryland Car Accident News: Off-duty Annapolis Patrolman Implicated in Fatal Baltimore Drunken Driving Wreck" »

Charges of drunken driving were apparently not pressed against an Anne Arundel driver who allegedly caused a fatal pedestrian-car crash in the Annapolis area on New Year’s Day, 2010. According to police reports, the driver left the scene and when he turned himself in he refused a breathalyzer test to check for blood-alcohol content (BAC). Because of that fact, police could not substantiate the man’s alleged drunkenness at the time of the traffic accident.

As Maryland injury attorneys, I and my colleagues understand the anguish that a family feels for the death of a relative at the hands of a negligent driver. Any fatal car accident is tragic, not simply because that crash may have been avoided, but also because of the great distress to the victim’s family that such an event can cause. Wrongful death suits can be one avenue for a victim’s relatives to recover damages, including those for pain and suffering that the victim may have experienced prior to his or her death.

In the case of that fatal hit-and-run accident, the Anne Arundel prosecutor’s office decided to drop the charge of drunk driving against 22-year-old Thomas Judge following the collision that killed a 40-year-old Maryland resident, Alfred Byrd as he traversed Bay Ridge Road in the early morning hours of January 1, 2010.

The defense argued that Judge was not drunk at the time of the fatal crash and that the victim himself had contributed to his own death by wearing dark clothing and apparently having used some amount of cocaine prior to the accident as he staggered across the road, according to court records. The prosecution alleged that Judge and some friends drank boilermakers during a New Year’s Eve party before going downtown around 10pm to continue celebrating at several bars along West and Main streets.

Continue reading "No Drunken Driving Charges for Annapolis Motorist in Fatal New Years Hit-and-Run Pedestrian Accident" »

It seems that we cannot get away from the latest spate of drunken driving-related traffic accidents. While it is a forgone conclusion that driving while impaired by alcohol, prescription medication or illicit drugs can get a person arrested and charged with DWI or DUI, a percentage of passenger car drivers, commercial truckers and even motorcycle riders will kill someone or be killed themselves for their indiscretion.

Operating a motor vehicle, in the eyes of the law is not a right, but a privilege that we as motorists are granted by means of state licensing. We can only continue to exercise our driving privileges by showing competency on state licensing exams and by obeying Maryland’s traffic laws. Two many violations or other charges -- such as drunken driving convictions or car accidents -- and a person risks losing their driver’s license; in some cases this is blessing, especially in the case of people who demonstrate that they don't know enough to stay off the road when inebriated.

As Maryland automobile accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys, we have seen far too many victims of drinking and driving to be in any way understanding to those who chose to drive drunk and then injure, maim or kill another innocent person. Anyone who reads the news on a regular basis will likely agree that, on the face of it, drunk drivers who cause accidents seem to walk away with nary a scratch, while their victims are rarely as lucky.

Being caught for driving under the influence is one way that a bad driver may be taken off the road, if only for a short period of time. Others, who may cause serious injury to one or more people, may be held to account for their actions. In the end, the cost of being permanently disabled by a drunk driver is likely far worse than most any punishment that the law can inflict back on a negligent motorist.

Continue reading "Baltimore Personal Injury News: Maryland Man Allegedly Driving Drunk Goes Wrong Way, Hits Second Vehicle" »

We’ve said it before, but once again it bears repeating; causing a traffic death while driving under the influence here in Maryland or the District of Columbia is simply unforgivable and no amount of excuses or apologies can make things right again. If you don’t believe this, consider the recent sentence levied against a 25-year-old driver from Rockville, MD, who will be spending the prime of his life behind bars for the untimely drunk driving deaths of two innocent people.

As Baltimore auto, trucking and motorcycle accident attorneys providing personal injury representation to Maryland residents, there is no redeeming characteristic that trumps a fatal DWI, DUI or drug-related traffic accident that leaves another person dead or maimed for life. The seemingly harmless act of becoming drunk, turns into a jailable offense when an individual gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and essentially turns it into a deadly and random weapon.

Such was the case of Alejandro Roman, who was recently sentenced to two consecutive 10-year jail terms by a Montgomery County judge in the vehicular homicide deaths of two Maryland men. Some may argue that the defendant should have received a harsher sentence, however under Maryland law 10 years in prison is the longest sentence allowed for this kind of crime. Even so, others tend to believe that 20 years is rather strict. We’ll let history be the judge.

According to police reports, Roman was driving his Acura at nearly two times that posted speed limit last October when he struck the two pedestrians along a stretch of Rockville Pike in White Flint, MD. Police stated that the man was legally drunk at the time of the accident and that his vehicle was estimated to be traveling at 76mph in a 40mph zone.

A former sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve, Roman reportedly said that he was deeply sorry for the deaths of the two individuals. According to court records, the defendant pled guilty to both counts of vehicular manslaughter last March. Based on news reports, police apparently held Roman in custody, but following an interview the man was not initially charged with any crime.

Continue reading "Rockville Man Gets 20 Years for Deaths of Two Pedestrians in Fatal Drunken Driving Crash" »

According to news reports, a Sykesville woman will be serving just 30 days in jail following a fatal car crash that killed a Westminster woman back in 2009. The defendant, 21-year-old Anastacia Hardester was found guilty of negligent driving by a Carroll County Circuit Court judge, but apparently avoided stiffer penalties when the court could not find sufficient evidence for the more serious vehicular homicide charges.

As Baltimore automobile and motorcycle accident lawyers serving Maryland and Washington, D.C., we have seen this type of scenario play out time after time in Maryland injury accidents. Each year across this country hundreds and thousands of people are killed by drunk drivers leaving families without mothers, fathers and siblings. According to news reports, this particular accident may have involved drug DUI, however the court was only able to convict the woman of negligent driving, failure to drive on the right half of the road and driving while uninsured.

Based on police reports, Hardester’s vehicle allegedly crossed the centerline along a stretch of Md. 27 in Westminster, colliding with a second vehicle driven by 24-year-old Valerie Claire. According to court records, the car crash took place around 2pm in the afternoon. Prosecutors stated that the defendant told officers at the Westminster police barrack nearly one month following the accident that her prescribed daily dosage of methadone usually made her drowsy around 2 or 3pm.

The judge in the case said that there was insufficient evidence to cause him to believe that the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of vehicular homicide or driving while impaired by drugs. Last March, according to news reports, the court had listened to testimony regarding Hardester's use of prescribed methadone and whether it affected her ability to drive or control her vehicle properly.

Court records indicate that police believed the woman’s vehicle was traveling upward of 73mph in a 50mph zone just prior to the fatal head-on collision. However an expert witness and former MSP sergeant contended that the defendant’s vehicle was going between 49mph and 52mph at the time of the wreck. The judge in the case said that conflicting expert opinions had also made it difficult to find the woman guilty of the more severe charges.

According to reports, the woman’s defense attorney argued that she had never told police that she was drowsy the day of the car crash and that she was not found to have pinpoint pupils, slurred speech or any other indicators of methadone use when examined following that fatal traffic accident.

As a result of the verdict, Hardester will serve two years of probation, pay fines totaling $1,500, complete 150 hours of volunteer service, as well as attend an AA or Narcotics Anonymous meeting every week.

Sykesville woman to serve 30 days for fatal crash, May 18, 2011

Whenever we ride with others in a motor vehicle we place great faith in the abilities and judgment of the driver. For most of us, we cannot imagine that a close friend, business acquaintance or family member would ever put our life in jeopardy, much less his or her own. And yet every day across this country individuals are killed or maimed by the negligence of someone they know and trust.

As Baltimore auto accident attorneys and Maryland personal injury lawyers, we know that the seemingly inconsequential decision to get into a passenger car or climb onto the back of a motorcycle with a friend or relative can sometimes turn out to be a life-changing event. These kinds of road accidents can result in injuries ranging from minor cuts, bruises and abrasions, to more serious broken legs and arms, neck injuries and life-threatening closed-head trauma.

Not long ago, three people died in a single-car accident along a stretch of road in Olney when a James Madison University student somehow lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree. According to news reports, Kevin Coffay was arrested by police following the crash and charged on four felony counts.

The 20-year-old JMU junior reportedly was charged with failure to remain at the scene of an injury accident and failure to immediately stop at the scene of a fatal accident, among others. All tolled, the man could end up facing more than 10 years in prison as a result fo the crash.

Based on police reports, the accident occurred around 3am on a Sunday morning in Montgomery Co. Coffay was reportedly driving eastbound on Olney-Laytonsville Rd. when his Toyota Corolla, carrying four other passengers, left the road for some reason. The car subsequently crashed into a couple trees and a utility pole.

As a result of the collision, one of the passengers, 18-year-old Spencer Datt, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. Two others, 20-year-old John Hoover and 18-year-old Haeley McGuire were transported to local hospitals but were pronounced dead not long afterward. The fourth passenger, Charles Nardella, 19, survived with non-life-threatening injuries.

Coffay reportedly fled from the crash site but was located about three hours later by police. Officers who questioned the suspect stated that Coffay had been at two separate parties prior to the accident. Police also said that he smelled of alcohol at the time of his arrest. According to reports, Coffay was admitted to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and later jailed pending trail. Bond was set at $500,000.

Three Killed in Maryland Crash, WHSV.com, May 16, 2011

JMU student driver arrested after car crash in Maryland, BreezeJMU.org, May 15, 2011

Two teens, 20-year-old killed when car crashes into tree in Olney, BaltimoreSun.com, May 16, 2011

It’s a terrible shame that so many innocent people are killed or injured every year by drivers who have previously been convicted of drunken driving, sometimes for multiple offenses. As Maryland personal injury attorneys and automobile accident lawyers, I and my colleagues have represented victims of serious traffic wrecks, as well as their families, to help these individuals recover damages due to another driver’s negligence.

Even though courts here in Maryland and in Washington, D.C., convict drivers that have been arrested for driving under the influence, many of these same people go on to drive drunk again and in the process kill or maim others with little concern for themselves or the victims they create by their reckless acts. Not long ago, a Hagerstown driver pled guilty on two counts of causing life-threatening injuries while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Based on news reports, 26-year-old Cory Kuczynski was tried for injuring Joseph and Lauran Dwyer in a three-car Washington County traffic collision one year ago. The defendant was not charged with the death of a third individual, Danielle Paikin, because prosecutors did not believe they could easily prove that the man was responsible for the woman’s death.

According to court records, Kuczynski, who also failed to stop immediately following the crash, admitted to police that he had been driving while intoxicated. Washington County Circuit Court to driving under the influence and failing to stop immediately at the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury in a 2010 fatal crash near Sharpsburg.

Based on news articles, the accident occurred just after 1am on May 6, 2010 when a sedan driven by another person crossed over the centerline and collided almost head-on with a 1993 Buick being driven by Lauran Dwyer. Just following the initial crash, Kuczynski’s Nissan, which was traveling northbound, hit the Buick on the passenger side.

The force of that crash pushed Dwyer’s car almost 30 feet back, pinning Joseph Dwyer underneath the vehicle and causing him serious torso, leg and head injuries. Paikin, the front-seat passenger, was trapped inside the Buick and later died from her injuries.

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