Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Drunk Driver Kills Two Maryland Men in Deadly Hit-and-Run Beltway Crash

July 24, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A repeat traffic offender, with a blood alcohol content (BAC) well over the legal limit, is suspected in a recent fatal Montgomery County crash on the Capitol Beltway that killed two people. According to reports, Kelli R. Loos, 33, formerly of Bethesda, Maryland, rear-ended a pickup truck on the beltway, impelling the other vehicle over a guardrail and down an embankment where it landed on its roof 60 feet below the roadway.

The passenger of the pickup truck, 37-year-old Franklin Manzanares, was trapped in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Rescue workers transported the driver, Gradys Mendoza, 39, to a local hospital, but he was dead on arrival.

News reports said that Manzanares has a wife who currently lives in his home country of Honduras and also has a son and daughter in the United States. Mendoza, who was a banquet waiter at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the District and also ran a construction business, had been married for about 17 years — he has two girls and a boy. Both men lived in the Springfield area.

Injured Maryland Man Loses Hand in Charles County DUI Car Accident

July 22, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There are some things money just can’t buy. A new hand is one that comes to mind. A recent news story makes it clear that auto accidents don’t just cause injuries that might possibly heal over time; they can also irreversibly maim and disfigure some victims. An apparent DUI-related car crash in Nanjemoy, Maryland, earlier this year is one such injury accident that can never quite be made right for the victim.

In the early evening of February 27, Wade E. Morgan and a passenger were driving along Port Tobacco Road near Tayloes Neck Road when the 38-year-old driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, which crashed off the side of the road. During the accident, the passenger was reportedly thrown from the vehicle and in the process his hand was severed. The driver, who failed a sobriety test shortly after police stopped him, claimed that he couldn’t find his friend, which is why he left the scene of the accident. This act alone could have resulted in the death of the passenger, considering his medical circumstances.

As Maryland automobile accident and personal injury attorneys, the lawyers at Lebowitz-Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, have seen first-hand the aftermath of some pretty horrific accidents. We have handled many cases were the victim of a car crash has lost a limb. Without a doubt, the lost of a hand is one of the more devastating personal loses an individual can sustain. When it happens as the result of another person’s negligence, it is something that can never be made completely right.

Luckily for the victim, rescue crews were able to save him, though emergency personnel and police were never able to locate the lost appendage. Meanwhile, the man’s so-called friend was charged with numerous traffic and drug-related offenses, including leaving the scene of an accident involving serious physical injury, driving or attempting to drive while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance, driving or attempting to drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol and three counts of drug possession.

Police allegedly found six OxyContin tablets in Morgan’s pocket, PCP mixed into a bottle of parsley and some prescription drugs. According to reports, police also found a tinfoil smoking device containing some parsley and PCP inside the suspect’s car. Morgan, who is currently free on $50,000 bail, is scheduled to to go trial on October 5, 2009.

Ocean City Bicycle Fatality Reminds Maryland Cyclists to take Precautions, Be Alert

July 19, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A sad story of a fatal bicycle accident in Ocean City, MD, came across the wires recently and points to the dangers inherent any time a bike rider travels on public roads. It happened on Maryland’s Coastal Highway as 23-year-old Kristin Anne Stormer was taking a leisurely summer ride. While riding her bicycle along a pedestrian crosswalk, she was struck and killed by a southbound delivery truck.

As a Maryland auto accident lawyer, I’ve represented numerous individuals who have been injured in automobile-bicycle accidents. Although the roadway in question has a 35mph posted speed limit, at those relatively low speeds even a small car, much less a full-size delivery truck, can seriously injure or kill someone on a bike. Without knowing the specific details, it’s hard to say if the truck driver was responsible for this woman’s sad and unfortunate death.

Summer is a great time to out and about. But whether you’re riding a bike, a motorcycle or driving a car, even a relaxing trip along the coast must be done with a degree of caution. As motor vehicle operators and as bicycle riders, we all have a responsibility to follow the rules of the road. In this case, reports state that the woman may have been listening to an iPod while riding her bike. This is can be a dangerous activity for anyone operating a vehicle in traffic and it is actually illegal in Maryland.

Illegal Immigrant Receives Three-year Sentence for Fatal Howard County, MD, Car Crash

July 17, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 21-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico has been sentenced to three years in jail for the fatal crash in Dayton, MD, last March that killed two of his passengers and injured a third. According to news reports, one factor in the court’s decision was the man’s 0.09 blood alcohol content (BAC) at the time of the car accident, which was just over the legal limit in Maryland. Other factors, such as an ice- and snow-covered roadway was not considered important. Once the man’s sentence is completed, it is likely he will be deportation back to his home country.

This case shows that courts have very little patience for anyone who has been drinking and driving, even “a little.” As a law firm that represents automobile accident victims and their families, Lebowitz-Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers fights hard for its clients. In this instance, the defense tried to argue that weather conditions were the cause of the accident, however the other facts were more important to the court, such as the use of alcohol and the resulting deaths.

According to court documents, the defendant, Jose Algomeda-Santiago of Mount Airy, was driving a Volkswagen Jetta northbound on a snow- and ice-covered Route 32 shortly before 4 a.m. on March 1 when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle spun into the southbound lane, where it was hit from the rear by a Dodge truck. Gilberto Garcia Vasquez, 26, of Westminster, the right rear passenger, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The right-front passenger, 21-year-old Victor Gutierrez-Almeida, died later at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore from injuries sustained in the collision. A third passenger, Gonzalo Gutierrez-Molina, 25, survived the collision. The defendant, Jose Algomeda-Santiago of Mount Airy pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent homicide while under the influence of alcohol.

The judge in the case declined to add probation to the sentence, noting that Algomeda-Santiago would likely be taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials once his sentence was up and probably deported back to Mexico.

Popular Illegal Drag Racing Venue in Baltimore County is Site of Recent Pedestrian Deaths

July 15, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

There is a time and place for everything, but public roads should never be used for illicit racing events. News articles indicate that a recent early-morning drag race that resulted in two pedestrian deaths occurred on a portion of Maryland’s I-70 interstate well known locally for similar illegal speed events. According to authorities, early on the morning of June 21 two young people were killed when one of the drivers lost control of his vehicle and struck several cars and spectators on the side of the roadway.

As an automobile accident attorney, my office is able to represent victims and their families who have experienced a loss such as this, where a pedestrian is injured by a car, SUV or truck. Sadly, this type of accident could have been avoided, especially if the spectators realized the dangers involved. That Sunday morning in Baltimore County, 21-year-old Mary-Kathryn Michele Abernathy of Columbia, MD, and 20-year-old Jonathan Robert Henderson of La Plata in Charles County were killed when a westbound 2009 Chevrolet Impala went out of control. The accident investigation is ongoing and no determination has been made on whether the cause was driver error or defective equipment.

According to police, the accident set off a chain-reaction crash that also caused severe injury to the driver of the Impala, 26-year-old Donneil Raeburn of Pikesville, and Paul Alan Duffy, 22, of Elkridge. The Impala struck a 2004 Cavalier owned by Duffy, who was standing outside his vehicle, which in turn was pushed into the rear of a 1995 Acura Integra owned by Henderson, who had been standing with Abernathy. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Maryland Car Accident News: Could Texting be the New Drunk Driving?

July 11, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Maryland, as around the rest of the country, text messaging has become a favorite pastime for many. But victims of traffic accidents know that “texting” is actually a big problem. Auto accident experts and politicians alike are suggesting that cell phone texting could be the drunk driving of the 21st Century. Already banned in neighboring states, text messaging while driving will soon be against the law Maryland beginning October 1, 2009.

In our Maryland auto accident law office, we have seen the results of driver inattention in terms of personal injury and traffic fatalities. Much like driving while intoxicated, which results in impaired judgment and reduced reaction time, texting can be just as dangerous since the activity can cause a driver to be highly distracted. Extremely common among young drivers — a study last year by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that about half of drivers ages 18 to 24 said they texted behind the wheel at least occasionally — text messaging is becoming more and more popular. And this is worrying.

Maryland’s anti-texting law will make the activity a misdemeanor crime of driving while using a text messaging device to write or send a text while operating a motor vehicle in the travel portion of the roadway. A civil penalty will be imposed and a fine of not more than $500 can be enforced if convicted.

Howard County, MA, Car Crash Kills Father and Daughter from Bowie while Driving Antique Ford

July 9, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A tragic set of circumstances led to the untimely death of a Bowie man and his young daughter on Interstate 70 last week. According to Maryland State Police, the deadly collision happened in Lisbon around 6:30 p.m. on June 30 near the Route 97 exit. While traveling in his 1929 Ford Model A, Richard Dashiell, 62, and his 10-year-old daughter were hit from behind by a 2007 Dodge driven by Paul Davis of Glen Burnie.

As a Maryland auto accident law firm, we have had experience with situations not unlike this one. Of course, summertime offers many great opportunities to get those vintage and antique vehicles out of the garage and onto the road. Unfortunately, today’s cars, trucks and SUVs are faster and sometimes larger and heavier than older antique autos. Combine this with all the “normal” dangers of everyday driving and owners of vintage vehicles must be extra careful to avoid inattentive drivers and hopefully prevent an automobile accident.

Sadly, in this case, even though the Model A’s driver was apparently following the proper procedures, he still could not avoid this crash. According to news reports, eye witnesses told police that Dashiell’s vehicle was traveling in the far right-hand lane of the interstate at about 50 mph prior to being hit from behind. Police also said that Dashiell’s car had a “Slow Moving Vehicle” sticker on the rear window.

Could Baltimore’s Auto Injury Accident Rate be Improved by More Roundabouts?

July 8, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

You may not know it, but Baltimore is way behind the rest of Maryland in terms of traffic roundabouts. Why is this important? For anyone who has been injured in a head-on collision at a busy intersection or knows someone who was killed by an inattentive driver turning in front of traffic, this is a very timely subject.

Recent reports indicate that the City of Baltimore has been seeking Federal aid to help fund construction of traffic circles, or roundabouts. Although the average driver may not like traffic circles, they are very popular with highway engineers, who believe that roundabouts can save lives. In fact, according to the State Highway Administration, there has never been a fatal accident at an intersection that has been replaced with a roundabout.

As Maryland automobile accident attorneys, we have represented our share of injury accident victims, as well as the families of those killed in fatal car crashes. Any traffic system that can reduce the carnage on our roadways is a benefit. Apparently, additional roundabouts can help accomplish this.

Chesapeake Beach, MD, Woman Seriously Injured in Route 2 Car Crash

June 29, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 56-year-old woman was seriously injured recently when the car she was driving crashed head-on into an oncoming van on Route 2 in Harwood, Maryland. Police reports show that the Rebecca Crocker of Chesapeake Beach inexplicably crossed over the double-yellow line and into the opposing lane of the roadway on the morning of June 18.

Northbound on Route 2, as she approached Polling House Road, Crocker’s 1999 Toyota Camry reportedly drifted out of her lane and into the path of a southbound 2006 Chevrolet van driven by Cagney Lafferty, a 23-year-old resident of Catonsville. Unable to avoid a collision with the woman’s Toyota, Lafferty’s van and Crocker’s vehicle hit head-on.

Luckily, no one was killed in this mid-morning car accident, however the force of the impact caused great injury to both drivers. Once rescue workers arrived at the scene, Crocker was removed from her vehicle and transported to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore with critical injuries. According to reports, the driver of the van suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Prince George’s Trauma Center.

Preliminary police reports showed that neither speed nor alcohol were factors in this accident, which points to a possible mechanical problem with the woman’s Toyota, or maybe to driver error. As auto accident attorneys serving the Maryland area, we have seen victims of many such crashes throughout our careers. Injuries from a frontal car crash can be severe and even life altering, but treatment can also be quite costly. I always advise those involved in such accidents to seek competent legal counsel to determine if they have grounds to file a suit to recover damages.

Kia Optima Models Recalled in Maryland for Potentially Dangerous Condition

June 25, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Kia Motors America has issued a recall for 36,000 Optima models made during the 2001 through 2004 model years. The recall covers a defect of the vehicle’s steel subframe, which could be adversely affected by road salt in certain parts of the country, including Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The problem ultimately could cause a vehicle to become uncontrollable, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.

According to Kia’s defect notice, exposure to road salt can cause critical structural problems, including failure of certain components related to the vehicle’s suspension and steering systems. The notice, which was filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that the road salt applied in states such as Maryland during the winter months may cause progressive internal corrosion of the car’s subframe. Over time, this kind of structural corrosion can affect areas of the subframe where the lower suspension control arms connect to the vehicle.

If sufficient corrosion occurs in these areas, a number of potentially dangerous conditions can result, such as wheel misalignment and/or other noticeable stress in steering, or accelerated abnormal tire wear. Ultimately, this kind of condition can lead to “wheel separation, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash,” according to Kia.

The states affected by the recall include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

Kia dealers will inspect recalled cars, and if necessary, repair the subframe free of charge. Dealers are expected to contact owners through the mail this month, but those who wish to make their own repair arrangements may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542.