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.

A head-on traffic collision on U.S. Route 220 sent four people to the hospital in Allegany County near Cresaptown, Maryland. According to news reports, the wreck occurred just before 9am on a Tuesday morning during rush hour. Information from the Allegany County Bureau of Police indicated that a 24-year-old out-of-state man driving a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier crossed the center line, striking an oncoming pickup truck in the southbound lane.

The Chevy driver, Christopher Stouffer, was injured in the accident along with his two passengers and another driver in a third vehicle. Head-on motor vehicle collisions can cause serious injuries, such as head, neck and brain trauma. In many cases, depending on the speeds involved, such a car crash can be fatal to both driver and passengers. In this case, all involved were lucky to have survived the wreck without sustaining life-threatening injuries.

Based on news reports the driver of the pickup truck, Aaron Brooke Gray of Cumberland, MD, lost control of his vehicle, which subsequently hit a 2003 Toyota sedan being driven northbound by 57-year-old Cynthia Erzkus, also of Cumberland. Some of the victims were temporarily trapped in their vehicles before rescue crews from the Bowling Green and Rawlings volunteer fire departments extricated them.

Each of the victims was then taken by separate ambulance to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center that morning. Transport of the injured was handles by the Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department, LaVale Rescue Squad and Cumberland Fire Department.

Stouffer, who resides in West Virginia, was charged by police with failure to drive right of center. He and two passengers were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Erzkus was taken to the hospital but her passenger was not injured. None of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, police said.

Head-on U.S. 220 crash injures 4, Times-News.com, January 19, 2010

There may still be a debate as to whether “speed kills,” but one thing is for certain, the higher the speed the more severe an accident is likely to be. In this regard, speed does make for more deadly auto wrecks. And while automobile accidents are typically caused either by driver error or as a result of faulty or defective equipment, when high vehicle speed is added to the mix, serious injury and sometimes death can result.

While speeding in cities occurs, the speeds involved are not as high as those on rural roads, highways and expressways. High speeds can also contribute to roll-over accidents, especially with vehicles that have high centers of gravity, such as SUVs (sport utility vehicles) and minivans. In construction zones, car-pedestrian accidents can also be caused by excessive vheilce speed. Whatever the cause, speeding doesn’t help the situation.

Recent news indicates that the radar speed cameras in used around the Baltimore area are doing what they’re designed for. According to news articles, Maryland highway officials say nearly 8,800 citations were issued during the first six weeks of the state's speed camera enforcement program.

Back in November, State officials began photographing vehicles that exceeding the posted speed limit by 12mph or more on three separate stretches of highway marked as work zones. All citations resulting from the campaign included a $40 fine.

To give motorists proper warning, signs were apparently posted in many work zones, regardless of whether a camera was being used, which read, "Speed Photo Enforced: Work Zone.” According to news reports, the cameras were installed in a pair of white Jeeps that rotated among the three locations: Interstate 95 between White Marsh Boulevard and Interstate-895, around the Charles Street exit of Baltimore's Beltway and along the Intercounty Connector construction area on I-95 in Prince George's County.

8,800 speed camera citations issued in 6 week, HometownAnnapolis.com, January 18, 2010

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

Injury accidents are commonplace on almost any roadway in Maryland. Whether it’s the city streets of Annapolis or D.C., the open highways across the state, or tight country roads, a car or truck crash can occur without warning. As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I also know that drunken driving ups the ante when it comes to automobile collisions.

Not only does drinking and driving reduce a motorist’s reaction times, but it also dulls the cognitive portion of the brain, reducing a driver’s ability to make good and proper decisions. Mixing alcohol with a motor vehicle on a public road is just disaster waiting to happen. Yet this is what happens dozens of times every month. The pain and suffering that drunk drivers inflict on innocent motorists is already too high, yet police are constantly pulling these drivers over.

Unfortunately, sometimes it’s too late when a person driving under the influence of alcohol is taken into custody by law enforcement officer. A recent news report shows that as police try ever harder to limit the number of drunks on the road there is always one that gets through and causes an accident.

In this latest case, reports show that a Berlin, Maryland, driver caused a four-car accident that tied up traffic in Racetrack Road late in January. According to that report, the accident occurred just past 5pm on Route 589 near Cathell Road on a Monday afternoon.

Police reports states that a 72-year-old woman struck three other vehicles while she was allegedly driving while intoxicated in her 2003 Toyota sedan. The driver’s vehicle ended up in the southbound lane following the crash. The woman, who name was not available at the time of the news article, was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury with life-threatening injuries.

Police indicated that the driver’s name was included in a log of the week's driving under the influence arrests released to local media, however the a spokesman for the Maryland State Police said the driver had not been charged with DUI and that the police were still investigating the incident.

Pileup sends driver to PRMC, DelmarvaNow.com, January 19, 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

Aggressive driving is the cause of many accidents on Maryland’s highways and city streets. Whether it’s road rage, joy-riding or just plain showing off, aggressive drivers can hurt or injure other innocent motorists without much concern for their own safety. As a personal injury attorney and car accident lawyer serving the residents of Baltimore and surrounding areas, I have seen the result of fast, thoughtless drivers over the years.

Car, truck and SUV accidents can easily result in multiple injuries to occupants and bystanders, especially in a dense urban setting. Regardless of the reasons, injuries from these kinds of accidents can include bruising and abrasions, broken bones, neck and back injuries and even fatal brain trauma.

A recent article points out how sometimes it is the aggressive driver himself who gets hurt during an accident of his own making. According to police, Clemmis Tommy Futrell, of the 3400 block of Winterberry Court, in Reisterstown, was changing lanes quickly while moving in and out of traffic along Reisterstown Road in the morning hours of January 11.

As the man approached the Garrison Forest School, he apparently ignored the red light in the front of the school. In doing so, Futrell’s Ford Expedition struck a passenger car driven by Baltimore resident, John S. Banks, who was trying to turn left into a nearby Home Depot parking lot. Banks was reportedly unhurt in the crash.

The force of the impact caused Futrell’s vehicle to crash into a BGE utility pole before overturning on the side of the road. Emergency crews responding to the accident found Futrell unconscious and trapped in his truck. After extricating the driver and treating him at the scene, they transported him by medivac chopper to Baltimore’s Shock Trauma Center. He was discharged later that day.

Reisterstown Road crash result of aggressive driving, ExploreBaltimoreCounty.com, January 12, 2010

Pedestrian injury accidents happen more often than people may imagine. As a personal injury lawyer serving Maryland, I know how much damage a passenger car, light truck or commercial vehicle can cause to a person on foot in the roadway. As motorists it is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of persons walking on crosswalks and alongside the roadway. Near schools, it is common to find crossing guards helping children negotiate the dangerous environment of urban traffic intersections.

Here in Baltimore County, there are numerous opportunities for pedestrian injury accidents. A car-pedestrian collision rarely goes well for the person on foot, with broken bones, cuts and bruises, as well as concussions and possible traumatic brain injuries. Recently a Baltimore Co. crossing guard was very lucky in that she only received minor injuries after a vehicle nearly side-swiped her during her duties helping kids across the street.

Based on new reports, Baltimore County Police were investigating a pickup truck-pedestrian accident not far from Johnnycake Elementary School in Catonsville, MD. According to news reports, the woman was in the process of preparing to stop traffic at the intersection of Criagmont and Bardswell roads when the accident occurred.

A pickup truck drove by and clipped the woman with its sideview mirror. Police reports indicate that the mirror struck the woman in the head. After being evaluated at the scene of the accident, the crossing guard was transported to St. Agnes Hospital for treatment.

Although police described the woman’s injuries as minor, the department was considering possible charges against the unidentified truck driver.

School Crossing Guard Clipped By Side Mirror, WBAL.com, January 14, 2010

Roll-over crashes are often a result of high-speed accidents or overly quick steering maneuvers. Sport utility vehicles (or SUVs) are particularly susceptible to these kinds of accidents. To make things worse, many light trucks, such as SUVs and pickup trucks, are not always designed with enough strength in the roof structure. In the event of a roll-over, the roof can be crushed sufficiently to seriously injure or kill the driver or passengers.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, my job is to help people recover the costs of an accident caused by another person’s negligence. This includes not only other drivers who may be at fault, but also the automobile companies who design and manufacture the vehicles whose roofs don’t always protect the occupants.

A recent accident on Northbound I-97 is an example of this kind of accident. It’ also shows how aggressive driving can cause other motorists harm, not to mention injury to the perpetrator as well. According to police, a 39-year-old driver was seriously hurt when his GMC Yukon crashed and rolled over on the interstate after hitting an out-of-control car that had been allegedly speeding moments before.

Based on news reports, witnesses told police that a Mitsubishi Lancer was traveling at more than 90mph on the afternoon of January 12 before the driver apparently lost control and hit a guardrail. Police reports show that the Mitsubishi driver had been weaving in and out of traffic prior to the accident. The driver reportedly lost control of the passenger car near Quarterfield Road.

After striking the guardrail, the vehicle bounced back into traffic and was hit itself by the larger Yukon, which then overturned on the roadway. The Mitsubishi ended up on the left-hand shoulder of the roadway.

After emergency crews arrived, the Yukon driver was taken by ambulance to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore with serious injuries. Police said charges are pending against the driver of the Mitsubishi, who was not seriously injured.

Man seriously injured in I-97 accident, Hometownannapolis.com, January 13, 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