Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

No matter where you live or work in Maryland, be it Owings Mills, The District, Annapolis or Columbia, car wrecks, pickup truck crashes and SUV rollovers can happen without notice. In fact, traffic accidents across the state injure hundreds of people every year. Some of those injuries and even a few deaths could likely have been prevented had the occupants been wearing their seatbelts.

As an experienced auto accident lawyer in the Baltimore area, my years of helping others recover from injury accidents have taught me that certain habits can save lives; others, however, can sadly contribute to the loss of life on our public streets and highways. One habit I’m always happy to see is when a person buckles that safety belt. It’s a small part of every driver’s daily ritual, but it’s a significant one.

Seatbelt use is usually pointed at as one of the top reasons why people survive automobile wrecks. There are many out there, I suspect, who feel that airbags and other safety devices do a better job, but that’s not necessarily true -- all of these systems work together to imporve passenger safety. As basic as they may seem, safety belts play a key role in protecting occupants in the case of severe traffic accidents, including head-on collisions, roll-over accidents and other potentially fatal crashes.

It makes little difference what type of vehicle you drive -- SUV, pickup truck, luxury sedan or economy passenger car -- wearing your seatbelt mean the difference between living through a bad car or truck accident and dying in one.

Every week, it’s possible to hear more than one news report that shows a crash survivor was using his or her seatbelt at the time of the collision. Similarly, one can also find instances where the lack of safety belt use most likely played a significant role in the death of a driver or passenger. At best, broken bones or traumatic brain injury have been known to occur when an un-belted person impacts a stationary object within the vehicle during a crash.

Rollover accidents in particular are very dramatic and can happen independently, or as a result of an initial collision. This kind of accident can cause serious bodily injuries including broken bones and lacerations, as well as head and spine trauma and internal injuries. Lack of seatbelt use in a rollover crash can be fatal since the occupants themselves become projectiles, occasionally be ejected from the vehicle altogether during the incident.

While it is true that many car and truck accidents cannot be avoided, being prepared for the worse by wearing your seatbelt is an easy way of increasing the odds in your favor -- odds that can often be stacked against automobile drivers and passengers in our fast-paced and many times highly distracted commuting environment.

It goes without saying that street racing has no place on public roads. Aggressive driving can and usually does result in injuries. For those who would argue the point, I suggest you buy a helmet, join a bona fide racing organization like the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and take your car on a closed course where proper car and spectator safety are in effect.

As an automobile accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I read all too frequently of innocent motorists and pedestrians killed or injured by one or another case of aggressive driving. It makes little difference if it’s a so-called “planned” event like an illegal street racing meet, or if it’s a spur of the moment, road-rage incident, people can and do get hurt. A high-speed crash can cause broken bones, head and neck injuries, or even death. Spectators can also be killed by a driver’s mistake, which then invites possible vehicular homicide charges.

According to news reports, concrete barriers have been added to Interstate 70 in an effort to try and cut down on the amount of street racing incidents. This latest change followed a fatal car accident last year that claimed the lives of two spectators during one of many illegal speed events.

Police reports show that a Chevy Impala driven by Donniel Raeburn, 26, of Pikesville veered out of control striking and killing Mary Kathryn Abernathy, 21, and Jonathan Henderson, 20. Raeburn was recently arrested and currently faces two charges of negligent manslaughter by auto and negligent homicide by auto. If convicted, he could spend decades in prison.

Following that fatal July 2009 accident, the state’s highway authority made changes at the end of I-70 where much of the racing had been going on. Known as a street racing hot spot, there are now new lane markers indicating a narrowing of the roadway -- the tail of the interstate is now just a single lane.

Still, police say that street racing is nearly impossible to stop. In addition to last year’s two deaths, a similar accident two years ago in Prince George's County claimed eight other lives.

Eastern Baltimore Co. Man Charged In Fatal I-70 Crash Reporting, WJZ.com, January 18, 2010

Three people were hurt and one man was killed in a tragic automobile accident in mid-January at a parking lot near the Lexington Market. Accidents of this kind can sometimes be attributed to faulty vehicle steering or brake systems. Occasionally, driver error or drunk driving can result in multiple personal injuries from being hit by a truck, SUV or passenger car.

As a Baltimore automobile accident and injury lawyer, I have seen first-hand the often severe injuries that a pedestrian can sustain as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle. When a crash of this kind occurs, with a crowd of people, many individuals can be hurt or even killed. According to a news article, a 72-year-old pedestrian died of his injuries after he and others were hit by a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Police reports show that the woman driving the truck apparently suffered a seizure as she was driving through one of the market’s parking lots, just off North Eutaw Street. The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle causing it to drive into a group of people. In the course of the crash, Donald L. Wheeler from Virginia sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

One man who was trapped under the truck was seriously injured and taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Another person, a woman who was found unconscious and not breathing, was also taken to Shock Trauma. A third pedestrian sustained a knee injury was treated at University Hospital, part of the University of Maryland Medical Center downtown.

At the time of the report, police were unable to provide names or ages of those who survived the accident. A police spokesperson said no charges had been brought against the driver, who was treated at University Hospital for a possible seizure. The driver’s female passenger was not hurt in the crash.

Truck plows into crowd, killing man, BaltimoreSun.com, January 17. 2010

Here in Baltimore, we have a range of public transportation choices that make for convenient and relatively comfortable travel throughout the city and environs. Many of the transit lines are handled by light rail and commuter rail services. While these subway and rail lines are very helpful in getting around the city, dangers do lurk on every level crossing and pedestrian crossover. As a Maryland personal injury and auto accident attorney, I understand how a simple walk across railroad tracks can end tragically.

While the railroads provide a fair degree of safety and warning equipment, sometimes that is not enough. Especially for those persons who are distracted from the very real danger of a train collision and its potential for fatal results.

Two relatively recent deaths on railroad tracks in the city point up the importance of remaining aware of one’s surroundings, as well as not taking unnecessary risks whenever near a railroad right-of-way.

According to a news article, a man was struck and killed in mid-January by a southbound Amtrak passenger train just south of the railroad's Aberdeen station. According to reports, officers responded to a call around 2:30pm regarding a body that was seen about 15 feet from the railroad's southbound track in the 600 block of S. Philadelphia Blvd. At the time of the report, police did not know the cause of the accident and were investigating the death.

This accident came just a week after a young high school girl died when she was struck by another Amtrak train near Middle River in Baltimore County. Based on reports at the time, Amtrak and MARC traffic along the Northeast Corridor was disrupted Tuesday, January 5, following the collision that killed 14-year-old Ann Marie Stickel of the 700 block of Maple Crest Drive.

Police reports indicate that the southbound train hit the girl as she and a friend were walking along the tracks with their backs to the oncoming train. The Kenwood High School student and the other girl were not authorized to be on the tracks, according to police. The youngster was later found to be wearing headphones, which prevented her from hearing the train until it was too late.

The girl’s friend, who was not wearing earphones, jumped out of the way just in time. The accident occurred about 11 miles north of Penn Station involving a Northeast Regional train traveling from New York to Washington.

Man fatally struck by Amtrak train near Aberdeen station, BaltimoreSun.com, January 16, 2010

Middle River Girl Hit, Killed By Train, BaltimoreSun.com, January 6, 2010

We’ve stated it here before: Pedestrians hardly ever do well against a motor vehicle during a traffic accident. As motorists we all have a duty to watch out for persons on foot, but as pedestrians we must also be highly vigilant and aware of oncoming traffic. Even if you cross in a legal zone, such as a crosswalk, be sure all cars are stopped and it is safe. Being “dead” right will not make your family feel better after a fatal pedestrian collision.

Recently a news article indicated that the Baltimore County Police had finally realeased the identity of the man killed in a fatal pedestrian accident on Pulaski Highway. According to reports, police stated that the Middle River man who died was 40-year-old James Rayman, of the 9600 block of Pulaski Highway.

Police believe that the victim ran across the eastbound lanes of Pulaski Highway near the Colonial Motel just east of Middle River, then climbed over a nearly 4-foot tall concrete barrier separating the east- and westbound lanes. Police said Rayman then entered the fast lane and it was there that he was hit by a late-model Ford F-350 pickup truck.

According to new reports, Rayman suffered multiple injuries as a result and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck, whose name was not released by the police, was uninjured during the incident and reportedly remained at the scene until police arrived. The county police crash team is investigating the accident.

Police identify Middle River man killed trying to cross Pulaski Highway, BaltimoreSun.com, January 14, 2010

Three separate automobile accidents on a Monday morning resulted in one death and four people injured in Baltimore County recently. Maryland State Police responded to the accidents which included a fatal Pikeville side-swipe hit-and-run collision that killed a man on Interstate 695; the two other accidents, one on U.S. 40 and another in Garrison, MD, sent four people to area hospitals.

The hit-and-run crash happened shortly after 29-year-old Richardo Manchome of Pikesville pulled his Ford Pickup onto the should of the Beltway to check on an engine problem. According to police reports, the man was standing on the driver’s side of the vehicle while examining his truck’s engine when he was struck by another vehicle.

Apparently a car veered onto the shoulder where Manchome was standing, striking and throwing the man about 50 feet from his truck. When emergency crews arrived, the victim was declared dead at the scene.

Based on police reports, the car that struck and killed the Pikesville resident allegedly fled from the crash site. Witnesses reportedly described the vehicle as a black Honda or Acura. The suspect vehicle was thought to have exited the Beltway onto Route 40 east toward Baltimore. Police said the force of the impact likely caused considerable front-end damage and may have resulted in the in the car losing its right front fender. An investigation was underway.

Elsewhere, two other Baltimore County accidents sent four people to the hospital, three of them in critical condition, according to news reports. In the first accident, two men and a woman were ejected from a westbound pickup truck about 5:30am on U.S. 40. County police said all three victims landed in a lot at Martin's East near Holley Drive and were taken by ambulance to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in critical condition.

Less than three hours later, a man driving in the 9800 block of Reisterstown Road in Garrison hit a taxi, swerved into a utility pole, and then rolling over several times. According to police, Clemmis Tommy Futrell, 44, was flown to Shock Trauma. The man is expected to recover from his injuries.

Police seek driver in fatal hit-and-run on I-695, BaltimoreSun.com, January 11, 2010

Search For Driver In Fatal Hit & Run, WBAL.com, January 11, 2010

Every year, hundreds of people are killed in traffic accidents across the country. Many of these automobile accidents are caused by motorists who drink and drive. Here in Maryland, it’s not uncommon to see news stories about drunk drivers who cause serious as well as fatal injuries to occupants of other vehicles due to driving under the influence of alcohol. As a personal injury lawyer in the Baltimore area, I have seen the aftermath of these kinds of alcohol-related wrecks.

It make no difference whether you drive a passenger car, pickup truck, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or minivan, a serious collision can turn your life upside down. If you are a breadwinner for your family, being injured in a car crash will impact your household income due to lost wages as well as medical costs during recovery. A fatal crash can have devastating affect on families in Annapolis, Owings Mills, the District, and other communities around the state.

Not long ago, a Maryland resident was sentenced to nine years in jail for the fatal drunk driving death of an area mom. According to the news, the crash that killed 28-year-old Cristina L. Palese occurred on March 21, 2009, during the victim’s drive home from work at the Cadillac Ranch restaurant at National Harbor, MD.

Heading to her house in Springfield, the mother of two was nearing the Van Dorn Street exit on the inner loop when her Nissan Sentra was hit head-on by a Lincoln LS sedan driven by Travis J. Isaac, 26, of Woodbridge. Palese was killed instantly, while Isaac sustained a compound fracture to his leg. When his blood alcohol level was measured it came to 0.16 percent -- which is twice the legal limit in this state.

Issac, who already had a previous drunken driving conviction, was traveling the wrong way on the Capital Beltway when he killed Palese. The jury reportedly took two hours to convict Isaac for the offense that could have sent him to jail for a maximum of 20 years. During the sentencing phase the jury took nearly three hours to impose the nine-year jail sentence. According to the news reports, Isaac will be eligible for release when he is 33.

Drunk driver gets 9 years in fatal wrong-way Beltway crash, WashingtonPost.com, January 8, 2010

The year just past was marred by hundreds of traffic accidents throughout Maryland, some of which resulted in fatalities. One of the saddest was the death of a Stephen Decatur High School sophomore who was hit by a car as he and some friends tried to cross Route 50 near Ocean City. As a Baltimore personal injury and auto accident lawyer, my office understands the terrible grief that friends, families and communities feel at the loss of any youngster.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents involving pedestrians are often fatal and almost always severe. As drivers, we all must be especially vigilant when approaching people walking along the roadside or crossing the street. Cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are much more massive and quicker than a person on foot. Therefore additional caution should always be exercised whenever pedestrians are nearby.

According to news articles, the driver who hit the boy last year in May had a 0.10 percent blood-alcohol content at the time of the accident. Other than the drunken driving offense police had not issued any other charges in connection with the fatal crash. The man recently received six months in jail from a Worchester County court for his part in the accident.

According to the Maryland State Police, 16-year-old Matthew Barcase of Ocean Pines had crossed the westbound lanes and made it to the median before he was struck by a vehicle traveling east toward Ocean City. Police believe Barcase might have stumbled or tripped into the path of the oncoming vehicle. Barcase was taken to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin where he was pronounced dead.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the young man, 29-year-old Luis Angel Rodriguez of Massapequa Park, N.Y., was indicted by a Worcester County grand jury in October on drunken driving charges.

In sentencing the man, Judge Theodore Eschenberg stated that he couldn’t treat the defendant’s arrest for drunk driving as a first offense. “Considering what the family wants, what the state wants, what the facts of the case suggest, I’m sentencing you to six months in the Worcester County Jail,” Eschenberg said. “No matter what sentence I give you, it’s not going to bring that young man back.”

Motorist Jailed 6 Months In Pedestrian Fatality, MdCoastDispatch.com, January 15, 2010

Decatur student struck, killed; driver charged with DUI, OceanCityToday.com, January 1, 2010

Everyday, families in and around Maryland lose loved ones who have made a difference in the lives of people throughout their community. Unfortunately, a traffic accident can suddenly and tragically put an end to anyone’s life in an instant. The emotional scars that losing a mother, daughter, friend or colleague can last for years, if not forever. As an injury lawyer practicing in the Baltimore area, I help families of victims recover damages from negligent parties who cause fatal car, truck or SUV crashes.

Sadly, any monetary damages can only alleviate the pain of loss. Nothing can bring a person back who has been killed by a careless motorist, drunk driver or deficient product safety. Recently, I was reminded of the senseless randomness of traffic accidents. According to a news article, Alisha Mae Deneen, young teacher from Washington County died in a single-car accident on I-81 at the railroad crossing north of Maugansville Road.

According to the State Police, the accident happened sometime prior to 5:30pm on New Year’s Day after a passer-by noticed the woman’s vehicle on the railroad tracks. Reports indicate that the 31-year-old Deneen was driving a 2009 Infiniti G37x, which apparently crossed the median, overturned and fell on to the tracks below. The exact time of the accident had not been determined at the time of the news article. Emergency personnel found the driver dead at the scene.

A single-vehicle crash can be caused by any number of reasons, from driver error or defective equipment to an animal crossing in front of the vehicle or even debris on the roadway itself. Whatever the cause, police investigators will determine it in time. Meanwhile, Deneen’s family, as well as the students at Clear Spring Elementary School where she taught, will likely miss her dearly.

Deneen remembered for smile, rapport with students, Herald-Mail.com, January 3, 2010

Product liability suits arise out of faulty or poorly designed parts or components. In the case of automobile accidents, defective vehicle equipment, such as tires, steering system parts, brakes or air bags can either result in injury or death, or exacerbate the effects of a car or truck crash. As Maryland auto injury attorneys, my firm understands that car and truck collisions happen for all kinds of reasons including defective equipment.

A defective automobile part or component can cause a driver to lose control of his or her vehicle resulting in a possible traffic accident and personal injury. Depending on what system or safety equipment failed, the resulting wreck can cause injuries from cuts and bruises to serious internal bleeding, damaged organs and even fatal brain or spinal trauma.

According to reports, a 36-year-old Baltimore County resident lost his life when his truck went out of control, slid down an embankment on Mount Carmel Road and crashed. According to police, Richard Winkler III, of the 3200 block of Mount Carmel Road, was driving his 1990 Chevy pickup in the westbound lane near Masemore Road in Parkton just after 11pm when the truck crossed the center line, overturned and rolled down an embankment.

Emergency crews attempted to rescue and revive the man, however he was pronounced dead at the scene. It was unknown at the time if the roll-over was to blame for the man’s death or if he died as the truck hit the bottom of the embankment. Police were unsure, at the time of the report, whether or not the accident was caused by the record-breaking snowfall in the area or if it was due to defective vehicle equipment or driver area. An investigation was no doubt needed to determine the cause.

Man dies after crashing his truck in Parkton, BaltimoreSun.com, December 22, 2009

According to a recent news report, the Anne Arundel County Police Department has identified the person suspected of the fatal hit-and-run accident that killed an Annapolis resident in late December as he was walking on the roadside. As a Maryland automobile accident attorney, my office is ready and able to represent families who have suffered tragic loses similar to the one in this case.

According to police, the fatal pedestrian accident happened in the early morning on New Year ’s Day on Bay Ridge Road in Annapolis, MD. Sometime around 2am on Friday morning, 40-year-old Alfred Byrd was hit by an east-bound motor vehicle, killing the man as he walked along the road.

Police believe that Byrd, who was wearing dark clothing at the time of the accident, was either crossing the street or walking within the right travel lane when he was struck. By the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the man had already died from his injuries.

Police reportedly found the suspect vehicle, a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, along with the driver, 21-year-old Thomas Leonard Judge of Annapolis. Judge apparently also had two passengers with him in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Jason Ruegg, 21 of Annapolis and John Deleonibus, 21, of Davidsonville were both identified by police as as passengers that morning.

According to police reports, the force of the crash was enough to cause the truck to sustain significant damage to the front grille area, the passenger-side front headlight, passenger-side bug deflector and several portions of the right side of the grille.

At the time of the report, charges had yet to be pressed against the suspected hit-and-run driver. It was not yet known if drugs, alcohol or excessive speed were contributing factors in the accident.

Suspect Found after Fatal Hit-and-Run, ABC2News.com, January 2, 2010

Families of victims killed in fatal traffic accidents have a hard enough time without having the death be related to drunk driving. In Baltimore, the District, Annapolis or anywhere else in Maryland, drivers and passengers alike are killed every day in senseless car, truck and SUV crashes. Recently, the person whose actions may have resulted in the death last summer of a Tall Timbers, MD, motorist has been charged with vehicular homicide.

According to news reports, a 31-year-old Hollywood, Maryland, resident was indicted on charges of manslaughter by vehicle, drunk driving and reckless driving by a St. Mary's grand jury. The incident occurred around midnight on July 25 on Route 249. The head-on collision allegedly caused by George Michael Bowes, Jr. resulted in the death of Russell Edward Wenzel, 58, and the serious injury of his wife.

Bowes was released recently on $100,000 bond after he was served the same day with an arrest warrant and the indictment from the two-vehicle collision last July.

Based on police reports, Wenzel was driving his wife home just after midnight following a hospital visit when their southbound sedan was struck by a northbound pickup truck that crossed highway's centerline.

After rescue crews arrived, Melissa Wenzel, also 58, was flown by a helicopter to a hospital in Prince George's County, where she underwent surgery for an elbow injury. Reports indicate that Bowes was treated at St. Mary's Hospital and subsequently released.

A sample of Bowes' blood was obtained during the initial investigation, according to the local sheriff office, and the case was then referred to county prosecutors after accident reconstruction apparently showed Bowes was at fault.

According to news reports, Maryland Attorney Richard D. Fritz, whose previous campaign treasurer is Bowes' mother, requested that the matter be handled by a court-appointed prosecutor, and it was assigned to Calvert County Senior Assistant State's Attorney Andrew Rappaport.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, my office handles numerous cases every year not unlike this one. If someone you know has been killed or injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, I highly recommend that the victim’s family contact a qualified personal injury attorney to find out what their options are.

Driver faces manslaughter, DUI charges, SoMDNews.com, December 23, 2009

As a Maryland car and truck accident attorney, I interact every day with persons injured in automobile accidents. Many of these traffic collisions are caused by operator error, driver inattention or distraction. Occassionally, poor road or weather conditions can result in single- or multi-car accidents. The latest snow storm that we all experienced made driving more than inconvenient for many Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. residents -- at least one person died as a result of this storm.

Since bad weather almost always results in poor road and driving conditions, I always suggest to friend and family that they avoid going out in storms like the one we just had. Getting into a car or truck wreck because of slippery streets is always a possibility, which is something that happened to dozens of motorists this past week.

According to news articles, the winter storm that socked the East Coast stranded many motorists and caused numerous fender-bender crashes. Near blizzard conditions reportedly hit many residents of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states, slowing and even stopping travel throughout the region.

Highway crews in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia sprayed brine on heavily traveled roads to help prevent snow and ice from sticking. The National Guard used Humvees to rescue stranded motorists in the Virginia area, while nearly 500 people moved into emergency shelters to keep warm after power outages caused furnaces to fail. At least one person was killed as a result of numerous traffic accidents.

Based on news reports, nearly two feet of snow fell in some areas, with parts of Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. experiencing blizzard conditions. Public transportation in the District of Columbia nearly ground to a halt, but it wasn’t enough to keep senators from staying in session to debate health care reform.

Eventually the slow-moving storm headed to the northeast but not before the mayors of Washington and Philadelphia declared snow emergencies while governors in both Virginia and West Virginia declared states of emergency.

Forecasters had said the storm system was expected to generate winds up to 35 miles per hour, which could cause near-whiteout conditions. It was thought that this could have been the most snow seen in the nation’s capital since February 2003, when nearly 27 inches of snow fell at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

East Coast storm update: Snow causes thousands of accidents, knocks out power, strands motorists, Syracuse.com, December 19, 2009

Walking is certainly a healthy and invigorating pastime; however nobody expects that your next evening constitutional will be your last. Naturally, pedestrians must be vigilant when strolling along public roads, but drivers also have a responsibility not to place others in danger. As Maryland injury lawyers representing automobile accident victims and their families, our office is greatly aware of the tragic results of pedestrian traffic accidents.

Recently, a news article detailed the traffic death of an older Mechanicsville man who was killed during an evening walk along a local highway. Apparently an elderly gentleman who was know to frequently go out on foot for long walks died on November 30 after being hit by a northbound vehicle along Maryland’s Route 235.

Police reports indicate that 85-year-old James Thomas Yorkshire was treated by fire and rescue crews, who responded to the accident that had occurred just before 9pm. At the time of the news report it was unclear whether Yorkshire, who died at the scene, was walking in the northbound lanes or perhaps crossing the highway.

According to Maryland State Police, Yorkshire was struck by a 2007 Chrysler Town & Country minivan driven by 57-year-old Edwin Lewis Lipsitz of Waldorf. At the time of the collision, Yorkshire was wearing dark clothing, said a police report. Apparently that stretch of roadway is poorly lit, police said, and it was raining that evening as well.

Reportedly, there was no evidence of alcohol, other drugs or excessive speed, which could have been factors in the accident. The driver of the minivan was unhurt and it was not clear if the police were going to charge the driver with any violations.

Pedestrian, 85, killed in accident, SoMDNews.com, December 2, 2009

Defective automobile parts and components can result in minor accidents and even fatal crashes. Depending on what vehicle systems or safety equipment fail on a passenger car or truck, the resulting wreck can cause injuries from cuts and bruises to internal bleeding and even fatal brain trauma or serious spinal damage. As Maryland injury lawyers and auto accident attorneys, Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC has the experience to represent individuals injured in as a result of another person’s negligence.

A recent article shows that some fatal accidents are not a result of defective equipment, which brings into question the human factor. Driver error is one of the largest causes of traffic accidents. Depending on vehicle speed and road conditions the ultimate result can be devastating to the occupants involved in a sedan, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or pickup truck accident.

According to reports, investigators’ post-crash inspection of a Maryland State Police cadet's Ford F-250 pickup truck showed no specific defects or height violations, which could have led to the fatal head-on crash that left a Parsonsburg man dead in an earlier accident.

Police officials reported that investigators inspected the truck and found there were no mechanical defects or equipment violations, this according to Greg Shipley, a Maryland State Police spokesman. The vehicle was reportedly inspected by the state police automotive safety enforcement division following the fatal collision on Route 346 on a Friday morning in late November.

Police reports indicate that the cadet’s pickup came to rest on top of the Mercury Sable driven by 19-year-old Shawn Michael Williams. According to police investigators, Williams’ car crossed the center line and collided with the westbound Ford F-250 driven by Travis William Dennis, a 20-year-old Pittsville resident and Maryland State Police cadet.

Cadets are typically hired at around 18 years of age as civilian employees who assist state troopers. According to police, the cadet program is supposed to expose candidates to the duties and responsibilities of a trooper and in doing so help them prepare for the state police academy.

The investigation of the fatal collision is ongoing and could take another month or so to complete.

No violation found in Old Ocean City Road fatal, DelMarVa.com, December 2, 2009

Fatal car accidents are tragic enough, but when you throw in alcohol use the tragedy is even more difficult for a community to bear. There is no excuse for driving drunk, yet every day across Maryland and the rest of the country motorists from all walks of life get behind the wheel while intoxicated. The lucky ones never have a car accident, however many do and those car, turck and SUV crashes can be fatal. The saddest situations involve traffic deaths at the hands of a friend or relative.

As Maryland auto accident attorneys, I and my colleagues see this kind of scenario all too often. Recently I read of a fatal single-vehicle crash that took the life of a young high school student from Howard County, MD. That young man’s choice to ride with a driver who was allegedly drunk was the worst possible decision he could have made.

Based on news articles, 17-year-old River Hill high school student Steven Dankos was riding in the bed of a pickup truck in late November with the older brother of one of his best friends at the wheel, 22-year-old David Erdman. A third passenger was also with them, Erdman’s 17-year-old brother Thomas was riding inside the pickup, police said.

According to police reports, the accident occurred just before 3am on Folly Quarter Road at Buckskin Lake Drive when Erdman lost control of the vehicle and crashed into several ornamental stone pillars along the road.

The vehicle overturned as a result fo the crash, which caused Dankos to be thrown from the truck and land some distance from the impact site. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not know where the three were coming from or where they were headed. The accident report showed that Thomas Erdman was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center and later released to recover at home.

At the time of the news article, investigators were still trying to determine whether the two teenagers had been drinking and whether or not they knew the driver was impaired, as alleged by the police.

David Erdman was charged by Howard County police with driving under the influence, negligent manslaughter by motor vehicle and negligent homicide by motor vehicle. He was arrested after being released Sunday from Howard County General Hospital.

Driver of truck charged in accident that killed River Hill football player, BaltimoreSun.com, December 1, 2009

As auto accident attorneys here in Maryland, we know that car and truck crashes can occur for a variety of reasons. When one of those reasons points to a defective design or service procedure on an automobile, SUV or other passenger car, people take notice. Earlier news reports had stated that Toyota was recalling nearly four million cars including the popular Camry for a seemingly inconsequential problem -- a poorly designed floor mat.

In this case, the vehicles’ accelerator pedal could become stuck when pressed to the floor, held down by the floor mat and causing a potential runaway engine scenario and possible injuries. According to reports Toyota has announces a fix for this potential unintended acceleration issue, which may be a relief to many, but which may call into question the quality aspect of Toyota’s engineering and design work going forward.

Apparently Toyota’s unintended acceleration problem won’t be going away any time soon, either. Consumer Reports has recently taken a look at complaints of unintended acceleration from owners of 2008 vehicles, during which the magazine found that 41 percent of the complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) came from Toyota owners.

For the current floor mat-related issue, Toyota will reportedly be addressing the immediate problem by changing the out the accelerator pedals in four million recalled vehicles in the U.S. According to the latest news, the company will reconfigure the pedals to better conform with the floor mat. In some instances, the shape of the vehicle floor will also be changed to help prevent the problem.

What’s interesting is the news that Toyota will apparently be installing electronic countermeasures in the form of a braking override system in Camry, Avalon, and Lexus ES 350, IS 350 and IS 250 models. This additional control system will act to cut engine power in instances where there is a simultaneous application of both the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal -- as can occur when a driver is trying to stop a car that has a runaway acceleration condition. Reports indicate that owners of these models will be notified during 2010.

All this started back in September, when Toyota announced its largest vehicle recall ever for the floor mat problem. However, investigations by the NHTSA have raised additional questions as to whether floor mats alone were the sole reason for the unintended acceleration incidents in Toyota and Lexus models.

These questions, and the Japanese manufacturer’s massive recall, grew initially out of a fatal accident that occurred last August when an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer and three family members were killed in the San Diego area.

To add to Toyota’s deteriorating image as a builder of quality passenger cars, there are claims surfacing that Toyota destroyed engineering and vehicle test data evidence that it had in regards to pending rollover litigation.

Toyota Tops Complaints of Unintended Acceleration, Report Says, NYTimes.com, December 8, 2009

Head-on traffic accidents are one of the more dangerous and potentially fatal of all vehicle collisions on our undivided highways. While urban accidents can include head-on crashes as well, the higher speeds of rural roads make these kinds of auto wrecks much more life threatening. As Maryland injury and automobile accident lawyers, our firm understands the severity of such crashes and the injuries that passengers can sustain.

Recently, a young Parsonsburg, MD, man was killed when his car unexplainably veered into the path of another vehicle on Maryland’s Route 364 just east of Esham Road in Wicomico County. Police reports indicate that the man’s Mercury Sable crossed the centerline and collided with a Ford pickup truck traveling westbound at that time.

According to news reports, 19-year-old Shawn Michael Williams from Parsonsburg was traveling eastbound on Route 346 when he apparently lost control and his car crossed into the path of an oncoming Ford F-250. According to Maryland State Police Williams not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police reported that speed did not appear to be a factor in the accident, nor were drugs or alcohol contributing factors, either. Defective equipment may have played a role, but no information was available at the time. The driver of the Ford pickup truck, 20-year-old Travis William Dennis of Pittsville, was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center for treatment and later released, according to reports.

Police reports show that both of the drivers were traveling alone in their respective vehicles. Sadly, this latest fatality happened during a period of relatively low traffic deaths in the county, at least according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), whose data shows that fatal crashes in Wicomico County decreased from 18 in 2007 to 14 in 2008.

For comparison, Worcester County reported an increase in fatal crashes (11 in 2007 versus 18 in 2008), while Somerset County reported one fatal crash in 2007 and one in 2008, based on NHTSA information.

Parsonsburg man killed in collision, DelMarVa.com, November 28, 2009

Two older residents of Boonsboro, Maryland, were recently involved in a serious single-car accident on Sharpsburg Pike when the sedan in which they were riding left the roadway and crashed into a stone wall near the side of the road. As a Maryland auto accident attorney, I have handled hundreds of cases such as this over my career. In many such instances, defective vehicle equipment has been known to have played a part, however driver error is never outside the realm of possibility.

In this case, an 81-year-old female passenger was injured when the driver of the 1992 Buick LeSabre she was riding in apparently lost control of the vehicle on Sharpsburg Pike a little before noon. According to news reports, 86-year-old John Robert Miller of Bakersville Road in Boonsboro, was driving when the car left the roadway.

Patsy Miller, also of Boonsboro, was injured when the LeSabre ran off the right side of the road near 5604 Sharpsburg Pike, south of the Antietam National Battlefield visitors center in Washington County. According to Maryland State Police, the vehicle struck a mailbox and then a drainage ditch. The car then reportedly went airborne and struck a monument before overturning into a stone wall and coming to rest on its roof.

After emergency workers arrived at the scene they treated the two occupants before transporting them to area hospitals. Mr. Miller was taken to Washington County Hospital, but was pronounced dead soon after. At the time of the report, Patsy Miller was being treated at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and was listed in fair condition.

Woman hurt in fatal crash hospitalized in Baltimore, Hearald-Mail.com, October 20, 2009

Another late-October traffic fatality took the life of a University of Maryland junior who was apparently the victim of a hit-and-run pedestrian accident. Having represented victims of pedestrian injury accidents, I can understand the pain and grief of such a loss, not only to the family but to the friends and schoolmates of this young woman. When it comes to car and truck accidents, the occupants in the vehicles have a much better survival rate than the persons on foot.

According to news reports, the Baltimore Police were investigating this particular hit-and-run accident, which claimed the life of Miriam Frankl just before 3:30pm on a Friday afternoon in October. Reportedly, police investigators had apparently questioned the owner of the white Ford F-250 truck that fatally injured Frankl while making an illegal left turn onto E. University Parkway from St. Paul St that day. Frankl died the following morning the University of Maryland Shock Trauma unit.

The white Ford F-250 in question was reportedly found on the following Saturday night, legally parked on the 3800 block of Edgarton Road in Northwest Baltimore. Police said that it had a decal from Tate Engineering Systems, but was apparently no longer owned by the company, having been sold to a private individual in August or September of 2008.

Police said that the owner of the truck turned himself in to police on Monday night, but was released after questioning. At the time of the report, Police had not stated whether they believe the owner was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. If he was the driver, he could be facing serious charges not to mention a possible wrongful death law suit from the woman’s family.

Student fatally injured in hit-and-run accident, JHUNewsletter.com, October 10, 2009