Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

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

Traffic safety is always a hot topic, but more so these days as drivers in Maryland and around the country have more and more distractions that conspire to take their attention away from the most important task at had, safely driving their vehicle in traffic. As a Baltimore auto accident attorney and injury lawyer, my firm represents drivers, passengers and pedestrians injured through the negligence of other motorists.

Car and truck crashes can result from numerous causes, from outside influences such as poorly maintained pavement or bad weather, to mechanical problems such as worn out steering components or bald tires, all the way to driver error. One subset of driver error would have to be self-imposed distractions, such as fiddling with the radio or talking on a cell phone.

It’s no secret that cell phones are more and more being singled out as potentially dangerous instruments in the hands of motorists in Baltimore, Annapolis, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in our area. Because it is everyone’s responsibility to watch out for dangers on the roads, drivers and pedestrians alike should consider the growing threat that all mobile devices pose to public safety.

More and more we hear news stories about people killed or injured as a result of apparent inattention when out in public. Safety may not be a concern when listening to an iPod while seated in a restaurant or movie theater, but move out to the parking lot, intersection or highway and you have a recipe for disaster, if not all-out tragedy.

Case in point, the teenager who was killed by a train while walking along railroad tracks on her way to school. According to reports, the Baltimore-area teen was walking with a friend while listening to music using earphones. Her friend, who was not using earphones, heard the train coming and was able to get out of harm's way. But the girl listening to the music was not so lucky. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

You can be certain that this situation also occurs on a daily basis with drivers on public roads. While it is against the law to wear headphones while driving, many people do. What this means is that it is too easy for these “plugged-in” drivers to ignore the sirens of emergency vehicles and other audible warning signals. Sometimes, those cars almost cause an accident as the ambulance of fire engine must steer out of the driver’s way.

Traffic accidents can and do cause death and serious, long-term injury. It is only common sense that drivers recognize the dangers of shutting off that all-important sense of hearing and make a change for the better. Drive safe and look out for yourself and your passengers. The life you save may be your own.

Safety issues arise as drivers, pedestrians plug in, tune out, Fredericksburg.com, January 10, 2010

A serious traffic accident can happen to anyone, anytime and almost anywhere. A recent news report shows that not only everyday motorists can be hurt or killed in truck or car crashes, experienced and highly trained law enforcement professional can also be hurt. Injuries from highway collisions can range from bruises and minor cuts to head and brain injuries. It’s not uncommon for a person to be seriously injured and later die from those injuries in the hospital.

According to reports, 39-year-old Trooper Kenneth Myers Jr. and another Maryland State Trooper were carrying out traffic enforcement duties on Route 50 around mid-day on January 19 when the accident occurred. Police reports indicate that Myers, of the Easton State Police Barrack, was driving an unmarked police car eastbound on Route 50. The 2006 Ford Crown Victoria carrying the two troopers was chasing another vehicle that was exceeding the posted speed limit and traveling around 80mph.

Details at the time of the news reports were not completely clear, however it is known that Myers cruiser hit a 2004 Toyota Avalon driven by 75-year-old Marjorie MacSorely at the intersection of routes 50 and 731 shortly after noon, according to reports. Based on police statements, it appears that MacSorely’s vehicle pulled into the path of the oncoming police cruiser.

Police could say how fast Myers, who has been working for the state police for four years, was driving at the time of the vehicle collision. Crash scene investigators will be going over all of the evidence to determine the cause of the wreck, and it is not know if the Myers had activated the emergency signal equipement on his cruiser or if the patrol vehicle's lights were working correctly or faulty. Police spokesmen said that the crash was serious and “something that we certainly don't want to ever have happened,” said Greg Shipley of the Maryland State Police.

First responders to the crash scene treated Myers, who was then flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. According to reports, a second Maryland State Police helicopter transported MacSorely to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. The woman’s daughter, 50-year-old Kathy MacSorely of Trappe, MD, was taken to PRMC by ambulance.

All three victims were reported to be in stable condition at the time of the news article.

Trooper, 2 others stable after crash, DelmarvaNow.com, January 20, 2010

3 Injured in Route 50 Crash Involving Md. State Trooper, WBOC.com, January 21, 2010

Some have likely heard this said: “That wasn’t such a bad traffic accident; the damage to the vehicle was minimal.” If you haven’t, then you probably have not dealt with an insurance company as a plaintiff in an injury case. Having represented hundreds of victims of car, truck or sport utility vehicle (SUV) crashes, my firm understands that it is quite easy to be seriously hurt in an automobile accident even though the repairs to the vehicle don’t amount to much at all.

This is a case of major bodily injuries, yet relatively minor vehicle or property damage. Sadly, this familiar, yet deceptive argument is used very frequently by defense attorneys and insurance companies when auto collisions are concerned. And it’s one of the best reasons to consult a personal injury lawyer experienced in the area of auto accident law.

Whether you live in Baltimore, Annapolis, Columbia or the D.C. area, car accidents can occur most anywhere, some of them with devastating consequences. Insurance companies many times will try to downplay the extent of an accident to try to justify a reduced settlement to the injured parties. This is done sometimes by introducing evidence in the form of distorted, grainy or out-of-focus photos showing minor vehicle or property damage.

But this is done without offering any expert testimony regarding the direct and causal relationship between the extent of the property damage and the victim’s bodily injuries. Brain trauma as well as neck injuries can occur even when a vehicle has sustained minimal outward damage itself. Yet every year, hundreds of auto accident victims settle for less than what they deserve due to these kinds of tactics.

The purpose of the defense is to disprove, usually by false implication, what has been proven by medical evidence and expert testimony -- typically by a licensed physician. It’s easy to forget how much energy is released – or inflicted on a victim’s body -- as a result of a traffic accident. Yet insurance company attorneys will usually make no mention of the sudden and very high energy forces that are transmitted throughout a motor vehicle in the milliseconds following a collision.

Continue reading "Maryland Auto Injury Update: So-called Minor Car or SUV Accidents can Cause Serious Personal Injury" »

Police, fire and rescue crews put their lives on the line every day of the week. While law enforcement and emergency personnel make up a small percentage of the overall population, injuries to these public servants represent a significant percentage of their respective groups. Police officers in particular are subject not only to injury or death on the job as a result of shooting incidents involving criminal activity, but traffic accidents are also a danger in this line of work.

Car and truck crashes can also injure fire fighters, ambulance drivers and EMS workers. As a Maryland injury lawyer, I have a deep knowledge of the kinds of injuries that can be sustained during a high-speed traffic accident. Just a couple days ago, a police officer was injured in an automobile accident when his patrol car struck another vehicle in North Baltimore, MD.

According to new reports, the officer’s vehicle was apparently speeding to a destination with its emergency siren and lights activated when the accident occurred. The crash happened on York Road when the pickup truck reportedly pulled out of a parking lot and into the path of the oncoming police car. The resulting crash caused the patrol car to flip over on its roof.

Officers arriving on the scene stated that the injured policeman was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center with a possible broken leg or ankle. Debris from both vehicles littered the road. After striking the pickup, the blue and white Chevy Impala also struck a Mercury Tracer passenger car before hitting the brick front of a local Subway restaurant. The officer involved in the crash was not identified at the time of the crash.

City police officer injured after patrol car, truck crash, BaltimoreSun.com, January 4, 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

Regardless of what kind of vehicle you travel in -- car, SUV, minivan or pickup truck -- traffic accidents can result in injuries ranging from simple bumps and bruises to more serious compound fractures and internal bleeding. In the case of high-speed or head-on collisions, traumatic brain injuries, neck and spinal damage or even death can occur.

As a Maryland car accident attorney who has represented numerous individuals hurt in auto wrecks over the years, I know first hand the potentially serious injuries that can result from these kinds of crashes. A recent news story illustrated just how many people can be affected by a single highway accident.

According to news reports, nearly one dozen people were hurt in a Carroll County traffic accident earlier this month. The incident occurred just before 6pm on Friday, December 5 along Route 482. Based on a police investigation, the two-vehicle crash was a direct result of a blown-out tire.

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office reported that a 2005 Kia Sedona minivan with nine occupants was traveling westbound along Route 482 when one of its tires blew. This caused the driver of the van to loss control of the vehicle, which crossed the centerline into the eastbound lane. The minivan then struck a 2005 Nissan pickup truck that was pulling a flatbed trailer.

The minivan hit the pickup truck along the driver’s side of the cab and bed area, after which the minivan spun to a stop on the eastbound shoulder beyond the truck and trailer. The Nissan reportedly left the roadway and hit a utility pole on the eastbound shoulder.

Following the arrival of rescue crews, two women in their twenties were transported by helicopter to Shock Trauma, while an 18-month-old child was flown to John's Hopkins Children's Center with facial injuries. All three were reportedly in stable condition at the time of the news article.

Eight other people were transported by ambulance to Carroll Hospital Center, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries and later released. Meanwhile, a traffic accident reconstruction team from the Carroll County Sheriff's Office was conducting a detailed investigation, the results of which were not available at the time.

11 People Hurt in Carroll County Crash, ABC2.com, December 5, 2009

A potentially deadly situation occurred recently when a pickup pulled out in front of a loaded St. Mary’s County school bus on Great Mills Road. Auto accidents involving school buses can ofter result in injury to numerous children riding in the vehicle. I'm well aware of this as a Maryland automobile accident lawyer. In this case, the kids onboard were not injured, although the man driving the pickup truck apparently remained hospitalized following the crash.

The traffic wreck occurred just before 7am on the morning of Wednesday, December 16, when a 1999 Dodge truck driven by 55-year-old resident of Lexington Park failed to yield to the school bus. According to reports, William Woodley Dyson pulled out of Prather Drive directly into the path of the oncoming school bus, which then hit the man’s pickup truck.

According to the sheriff's office, five children and the bus driver, 31-year-old Torri Lavore Hall of Lexington Park, were taken by ambulance to St. Mary's Hospital for evaluation, while the pickup driver was flown via Maryland State Police Trooper 7 helicopter to Prince George's Shock Trauma.

The five Little Flower School students on the bus, whose ages ranged from 6 to 13 years, along with the bus driver were reportedly in good condition following the crash. The kids were released from the hospital back in school by lunchtime.

According to reports, this is the second parochial school bus accident in as many weeks. Previous to this latest crash, a bus that transports students to St. John's School and St. Mary's Ryken High School was involved in a collision the morning of December 9 on St. Andrew's Church Road.

St. Mary's County government oversees 43 buses run by 18 contractors. The buses service 11 private elementary schools as well as St. Mary's Ryken High School by transporting between 1,600 and 1,900 children.

Students not hurt as bus, truck collide, SoMDNew.com, December 18, 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

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

Sport utility vehicle (SUV), pickup truck and car accidents can happen any time with little or no warning. The lucky drivers in traffic accidents such as these receive minor to moderate injuries. The unlucky ones can end up permanently handicapped or, worse, pronounced dead at the scene of the car or truck crash. As Maryland auto accident attorneys, I and my colleagues help to represent accident victims and their families to help recover some or all of the medical expenses, lost wages and other financial costs of such collisions.

A recent news report talked about couple of the lucky ones who survived a head-on car crash in Frederick, MD. According to police, two drivers traveling in separate vehicle were injured when their vehicles collided on Maryland 180 where the roadway crosses over U.S. 340.

Reports indicate that the accident occurred just before 12:30 in the afternoon, when a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer driving westbound over the Maryland 180 bridge crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 2009 Ford Focus.

Emergency responders arriving on the scene treated both drivers before they were both transported to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. The driver of the Trailblazer was identified as Tracey Lamar Andrews, 41, of Frederick. That driver, as well as the driver of the Focus, John Thomas Sparks, 28, of Cumberland, Maryland, were both flown from the scene by Maryland State Police Medevac helicopter.

At the time of the report, police had not yet determined if the accident had been caused by driver error, or if it may have been due to defective vehicle equipment. Fortunately, neither driver’s injuries appeared to be life-threatening; and there were no other passengers in either vehicle, according to police.

Two drivers injured in crash on Md. 180, Hearld-Mail.com, October 20, 2009

Drunk driving can and does cause tragic results. It’s amazing, then, that an 84-year-old Maryland motorist who police believe was driving under the influence of alcohol, did not kill anyone when he unknowingly drove the wrong way on Interstate 70 recently. As auto and truck accident attorneys, I and my colleagues have seen first-hand the results of similar events. This one, thank goodness, did not result in any fatalities or serious injuries, for that matter.

According to reports, Carroll Wayne Broome of Hagerstown was apparently intoxicated when he entered I-70 just after noontime on Monday, November 16, and drove eastbound through opposing traffic. Police say that Broome caused two separate accidents near exit 28 (near Maryland’s Route 632) and exit 29 (near route 65).

Surprisingly, no serious injuries were reported, according to reports. Law enforcement officials said that the first accident occurred when two other vehicles collided after Broome’s vehicle caused the other drivers to swerve to avoid the man near exit 28. The second accident occurred when a car, which was grazed by the man’s blue passenger vehicle, rear-ended another car that had slowed down to avoid a collision.

Reports indicate that Peter Nicklas Jr., 36, of Hagerstown -- involved in the second accident -- was taken by the Halfway Volunteer Fire Department to Washington County Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries and released. According to police, no one else suffered injuries that were serious enough to warrant a hospital visit.

News articles stated that a Maryland Department of Natural Resources officer found Broome’s car stopped in the median and facing the wrong was along the westbound lanes of I-70 just east of exit 29.

Troopers arriving at the scene gave Broome several field sobriety tests. They reportedly arrested the man and took him to the Maryland State Police barrack south of Hagerstown for processing. He was released pending a mandatory appearance in court.

Man charged with DUI after allegedly causing two accidents on I-70, Hearld-Mail.com, November 16, 2009

An Upperco, MD, woman was recently sentenced to eight years in prison for a fatal drunk driving-related traffic accident that occurred in 2008. According to reports, 65-year-old Mary Ann Farevagg received the sentence in a Baltimore County court. I and my firm, Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, have handled dozens of wrongful death cases stemming from car collisions. Drunk driving is one of the more common causes of on-road fatalities, something that police and legislators have bee trying to combat over the years.

In this instance, Ms. Farevaag apparently entered a guilty plea in Baltimore County Circuit Court for the December 16, 2008, car crash that killed 47-year-old Richard Daniel of Hampstead, Maryland. According to news reports, Daniel was riding in a second vehicle driven by his mother Sara Daniel, 72, who was critically injured in the head-on collision. Court records show that Sara Daniel sustained life-threatening injuries that required extensive in-hospital treatment.

The accident occurred on Black Rock Road near Trenton Road in Baltimore County, about a mile from Farevagg’s home. Prosecutors said that the vehicle Farevaag was driving crossed the center line at 8:40am and struck the Daniel’s car first, then hit several other vehicles before ending up in a nearby field.

Police reports indicated that Farevaag’s blood alcohol level, which was tested two hours after the accident, was at 0.25 percent -- more than three times the legal limit in Maryland.

After pleading guilty to one count of automobile manslaughter and one count of causing a life-threatening injury while under the influence of alcohol, Farevaag was sentenced by Judge Susan Souder to 10 years in prison with all but five suspended on the manslaughter charge. She was also sentenced to an additional three years in jail on the charge of causing life-threatening injuries. The court ordered the sentences to be served consecutively.

Upperco woman sentenced to eight years for auto manslaughter, ExploreBaltimoreCounty.com, September 22, 2009

Police reported a fatal car wreck in Frederick Country, MD, recently that resulted in the death of a young motorist and injured four others in the victim’s vehicle as well as a second automobile. According to news reports, the crash occurred just after 7pm on October 5 when a 1989 Chevy Cavalier driven by 20-year-old Jimmy Hawkins of Damascus hit an oncoming vehicle at the top of a hill in Mt. Airy. The second car, a 1995 Chevrolet Corsica, was being driven by local resident James P. Valentine Jr., 51.

As Maryland car accident attorneys, Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC understands the pain and suffering of the victims of such horrendous head-on accidents. In this instance, one of the two drivers died from injuries sustained in the collision, while four others were taken to a Baltimore hospital for treatment. The crash happened in the 4000 block of Bill Moxley Road, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Such an accident can cause head, neck and spine injuries. And while the police were still determining the cause, there is a chance that it was the result of driver error. Depending on which vehicle crossed the centerline, a wrongful death suit could be pending. If defective equipment is to blame, then there may be some recourse for the victims.

According to news reports, the driver of the Cavalier died at the scene. He had two passengers, Ashley L. Caldwell, 19, and a 17-year-old male, both from Monrovia. Those two individuals were taken to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. The Corsica driven by Mr. Valentine had a single passenger, Deborah A. Valentine, 47. Both occupants were transported to Baltimore Shock Trauma.

One killed, four injured in Frederick County crash, Herald-Mail.com, October 6, 2009

Multi-vehicle auto accidents can occur day or night, but the results are very often serious. Head-on collisions especially can result in severe or life-threatening injuries, and many times death. Aside from the emotional anguish, a fatal car accident can cause great strain the victim’s family especially if that person was the primary bread-winner for the family.

As Maryland automobile accident lawyers, our firm is able to help families make it through these difficult times. Lebowitz-Mzhen, LLC handles cases not unlike a recent accident that took the life of one woman and injured the drivers of two other vehicles. According to news reports, a young woman from Ellicott City was driving westbound on Route 108 near Ten Mills Road just before midnight on Friday, October 2, when her vehicle crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic near Clarksville, MD.

Somehow the Toyota Corolla belonging to 20-year-old driver, Melissa Moody, of the 11600 block of Masters Run crossed the double-yellow line and sideswiped an eastbound Lexus IS 350 being driving by Joanne Chan, 32, a Brookeville resident in Montgomery County. According to police reports, Moody’s Corolla then hit a second eastbound Hyundai Elantra belonging to 29-year-old Derrick Jordan of Columbia, Maryland.

By the time emergency rescue personnel arrived at the scene Moody was already dead. According to police, the other two drivers where taken to Howard County Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

At the time of the report, police had not determined a cause for the accident. However, depending on the age of the deceased woman’s vehicle, defective equipment is a possible cause. A faulty steering component or poorly-maintained tire can cause fail causing a vehicle to veer into traffic. From the initial report, however, the crash may have resulted from driver error, fatigue or some distraction. All of which will have to be investigated and finally determined by accident reconstruction experts.

Ellicott City woman, 20, killed in three-car accident, BaltimoreSun.com, October 3, 2009

A Baltimore County woman died from injuries sustained when her Honda Civic veered from a southbound lane of Interstate 795, traveled across the median and entered the northbound lanes where it was hit by a delivery truck. According to Maryland State Police, the 21-year-old driver identified as Amy L. Brooking initially survived the head-on crash with the truck, but later died after being admitted to Sinai Hospital.

As Maryland auto accident lawyers, we have seen this kind of scenario before. It is difficult to imagine a driver intentionally crossing an interstate median and heading into opposing traffic. Assuming the driver did not have some kind of an episode prior to the crash, one explanation for this accident could be a catastrophic failure of one of the vehicle’s critical systems or parts, such as the steering assembly, a suspension component or even a blown tire. One or more defective parts or components could have cause the young woman’s vehicle to go out of control.

According to police reports, the delivery truck attempted to maneuver out of the way of the Honda, which caused the truck to flip over on its side. Although emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene as quickly as possible to assist and transport the injured drivers to the hospital, Brooking’s injuries were such that doctors and nurses could not reverse the damage. She was declared dead shortly after being admitted. The driver of the truck, 32-year-old William K. Dodge of Hanover, PA, was taken to Northwest Hospital Center for treatment of what were assumed to be non-life threatening injuries.

Police did not know the root cause of the accident, which took place just north of Owings Mills Boulevard. An investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.

Woman Killed In I-795 Accident, WJZ.com, September 22, 2009

A Prince George’s County jury recently awarded $4 million to the family of a University of Maryland student who was killed in a 2007 automobile wreck involving an off-duty county police officer in Bowie, MD. The civil case ended with a decision showing that the officer, Cpl. Mario Chavez, was negligent in the fatal accident that killed 20-year-old Brian Gray on December 10, 2007.

As Maryland car accident lawyers, we have great respect for law enforcement professionals and the work they do, however a police officer cannot afford a lapse in judgment, especially when it comes to causing the death of an innocent person. This jury’s award is a message to police agencies throughout Maryland that off-duty officers should conform to the same rules of the road that other motorists are expected to observe. This crash is an example of that lack of consideration.

According to news reports, the victim was on his way to take an exam in College Park when his Chevrolet Beretta was hit broadside at nearly 50mph by a police cruiser driven by Chavez, who was off duty and heading home at the time. The posted speed limit in that area is reportedly 25mph.

Gray had stopped at a stop sign and was beginning to make a left turn when Chavez slammed into the driver's side of his car, according to trial testimony. Chavez had testified that his view of Gray's car was obstructed by shrubs and that he saw only a moment before the collision.

In their closing argument, the defense claimed Gray was partly to blame for the accident because he didn't yield to Chavez's cruiser. Gray's attorneys argued that if Chavez had been driving at the speed limit, or even 10 to 15 mph above the limit, Gray would have been able to complete his turn unscathed. The jury apparently agreed.

Tragically, Gray’s mother, driving in a separate vehicle several car lengths behind her son, saw the entire incident. Mary Gray was driving a family friend to DeMatha Catholic High School at the time the collision occurred. The force of the impact virtually destroyed Gray's Chevy and the young man was pronounced dead at a hospital around noon, about five hours after the fatal crash.

According to court testimony, AT&T cellphone logs indicated that Chavez either sent or received a text message in the moments before the collision, however the officer testified under oath that he did not use his cellphone in the minutes leading up to the crash.

Chavez reportedly was only issued a speeding ticket after State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey said there was not enough evidence to charge Chavez with vehicular manslaughter, which in Maryland requires proving that a driver acted with "gross negligence." Chavez is currently assigned to an administrative job.

Civil Jury Finds Officer Negligent in Fatal Crash, WashingtonPost.com, September 18

PRINCE GEORGE'S CIVIL CRASH TRIAL; Corporal Either Sent or Got Text, Witness Says, WashingtonPost.com, September 19, 2009

Separate traffic accidents occurred earlier this month in Anne Arundel County. Emergency responders helped five individuals who were hurt in Davidsonville and Glen Burnie, according to the county’s fire department. As Maryland car accident attorneys, the lawyers at Lebowitz-Mzhen, LLC are experienced in representing victims of fatal and non-fatal automobile accidents across the state. A news story coming out of Millersville, MD, reminds that one person’s negligence can cause much pain and suffering to many others.

According to reports, emergency personnel responded to a motorcycle crash in Davidsonville at 10:30am on September 7. In what appears to have been a single-vehicle crash, a 47-year-old motorcycle rider was found injured on the side of Patuxent River Road near Doublegate Road. It is not certain if this accident was a result of rider error or because of defective equipment, however rescuers aided and transported the man to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Just after noon that same day, responders were called to the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Glen Burnie. The force of the collision, which occurred at the intersection of Ritchie Highway and Maryland Avenue, caused an occupant in one of the vehicles to become entrapped before firefighters were able to free the victim.

According to news reports, rescuers found a woman trapped in her car, with three other people suffering from minor injuries. Those three were treated at the scene and taken to area hospitals for evaluation. The woman, a 39-year-old resident, was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

In cases like these, although minor injuries can seem non-life-threatening, there is still a chance that they may cause life-long discomfort or, worse, chronic and painful recurrences. Never assume that a minor injury is something to be dismissed. If you have any concerns about the seriousness of an injury as a result of a traffic accident caused by the negligence of another person, we highly recommend that you contact a qualified auto injury accident lawyer to review your options.

5 hurt in separate traffic accidents, hometownannapolis.com, September 8, 2009

A Maryland man was convicted recently of vehicular manslaughter stemming from a traffic accident last January that killed a Baltimore woman and severely injured her boyfriend. The defendant, Christopher Nelson, will face up to a year and a half in jail when he goes before a court in October for sentencing. As a Maryland car accident lawyer, I am committed to my clients. Although this man will be sentenced in October, the pain and suffering continues for the families of the victims.

The defendant was reportedly drunk when the crash occurred last January 8. Although he pleased guilty and claims to be sorry for the incident, that’s cold comfort for these victims. One person is dead and another suffered life-threatening injuries the physical and emotional scars from which will more than likely stay with him for many years to come.

According to reports, the 26-year-old Nelson was driving while intoxicated when he crashed his car head-on into a southbound vehicle on Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard in Pasadena. Elizabeth Meryl Fowler, 54, died in the wreck and her boyfriend, 45-year-old Steven Desombre, received multiple injuries to the head, chest and hip that required him to spend a month in a Baltimore hospital.

According to family members, Fowler had picked up Desombre from work near Baltimore and gone to the Box N' Save grocery store in Glen Burnie to stock up on food prior to the accident. Fowler reportedly was driving south on Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard near Old Mill Road just before 8pm. Heading north on the same roadway, Nelson lost control of his car while rounding a curve. His 2002 Subaru Impreza crossed the southbound lane, ran into the guardrail and bounced into Fowler's 1990 Honda Accord.

Fowler was taken to Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie where she was pronounced dead. Desombre and Nelson were taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore where they were treated and eventually released.

News reports say that police reconstructed the wreck and determined Nelson was driving 77 mph in a 40mph zone. A subsequent blood test revealed the Nelson had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.17 -- more than twice the legal limit in Maryland.

Nelson pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of auto manslaughter and one count of causing life threatening injuries while intoxicated. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped other charges and agreed to seek a sentence no longer than 18 months.

Man guilty in fatal Pasadena crash, HometownGlenBurnie.com, August 22, 2009