Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

At Least Seven People Killed in Washington D.C. Metrorail Train Crash, Dozens Injured

June 23, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Residents of Washington D.C., Maryland and surrounding areas are still reeling from news of a tragic commuter train crash that killed at least seven people and injured dozens more last night. For reasons not completely known, a Metrorail Red Line train collided at what appears to be a high rate of speed with a second, stopped train during Monday’s peak evening commute. The violent crash caused the moving train to jackknife, throwing several of its cars up and onto the top of the other train. According to reports, this “mass casualty event” is the worst train accident in the District of Columbia since 1982.

As a Maryland personal injury and car accident attorney, I have personally traveled on this particular Metro line many times in the past. As commuters, we all expect to travel in relative safety on subway trains and city buses. Ruling out any terrorist connection, this accident could have resulted from driver error or possibly faulty equipment on the tracks, or even the trains themselves.

Whatever the cause, the results are terribly sad for the families of those unexpectedly killed and painful for those hurt or hospitalized. Injuries from accidents like this can range from bumps and bruises to broken bones, traumatic brain injuries or damage to the spinal column.

News reports indicated that seven people have been confirmed killed and that more fatalities may be forthcoming. Initially, six people were confirmed dead, including the operator of the trailing train, Jeanice McMillan of Springfield, Virginia. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said rescue workers treated 76 people at the scene and sent some of them to local hospitals.

So far, officials have no explanation for the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is in charge of the investigation, while DC police and the FBI also have personnel at the scene. Normally, these trains should maintain a safe distance between each other, and it is not yet clear what went wrong.

There was also no official statement regarding how fast the one train was traveling before it hit the other waiting train, although the crash happened in a long stretch between rail stations where trains typically allowed to travel at higher speeds, according to a Metro spokesperson. Meanwhile, investigators are also searching the wreckage for the “black box” recording devices carried onboard these trains, which may hold answers to this horrendous event.

Maryland Woman Killed in Fatal Single-vehicle Crash on Suitland Parkway

June 21, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A Capitol Heights woman was killed in a recent car crash when the vehicle in which she was riding left the road, rolled and hit a stand of trees. The car accident occurred in the late evening of June 7 on a stretch of Suitland Parkway near Forrestville, MD.

The front seat passenger, identified as Keyanna Bowser, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two male back-seat passengers, who received slight injuries, were helped from the vehicle by Prince George’s County fire crews and transported to Prince George’s Hospital Center. The impact was so powerful it took rescue personnel two hours to extricate the female driver, who received much more severe injuries.

After leaving the parkway between Suitland Road and Forestville Road, the vehicle ended up on its side between some trees. This made the driver’s rescue extremely time consuming. According to reports, the driver’s legs were pinned underneath the vehicle’s dashboard. Once removed from the vehicle, she was airlifted to Washington Hospital Center for treatment.

Rollover accidents can cause very serious injures due to the vehicle’s roof structure being crushed and intruding into the passenger compartment. This particular crash may be similar, and if so, head, brain and spinal injuries are also very common. For the most part, the two rear-seat passengers were lucky, since the front seat passenger died at the scene and the driver had numerous serious injuries herself.

News reports indicate that the accident was still under investigation. Nevertheless, the causes for a crash of this type can range from driver error or inattention to defective steering equipment or poorly maintained tires. No matter the cause, we always recommend that victims contact an automobile accident attorney to find out what their rights are in cases like this.

Husband and Wife Injured in Columbia, MD, Motorcycle Accident

June 18, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Police and emergency medical personnel from Howard County, Maryland, responded to the scene of a motorcycle injury accident recently on the southbound side of Maryland Route 29 near Seneca Drive. According to police reports, a married couple riding double on a BMW R75/6 bike collided with a guardrail on the afternoon of June 8 near Columbia. They were both taken to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment.

Howard County police reported that Timothy Danaher, 55, was operating the couple’s BMW motorcycle while his wife, Diana Danaher, 55, rode as a passenger. Reports indicate that the bike veered to the left for an as yet unknown reason, resulting in the vehicle striking a roadside guardrail. Both people were thrown from the motorcycle. At the hospital, the wife was listed as in fair condition, although the husband’s condition was listed as critical.

Motorcycle accidents can result in some of the most serious injuries for the operator and passenger. As Maryland automobile and motorcycle accident lawyers, we have vast experience in this type of injury accident case. Although the Howard County police department’s traffic enforcement section was still investigating the crash, from the sound of it, this accident may have happened due to a defective part or perhaps improper maintenance. Regardless of the cause, the husband’s injuries could be severe, and may include traumatic brain injury or damage to the spinal cord.

Maryland Driver Charged in Traffic Death of Jogging College Student

June 15, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 29-year-old Maryland man has been charged by the Fredrick County Sheriff’s Office in the April traffic death of a college senior who was struck and killed while jogging on Old Emmitsburg Road. The man was allegedly operating an uninsured vehicle belonging to his parents.

According to police reports, Elizabeth DiNunzio, a 22-year-old senior at Mount St. Mary’s University, was jogging on the afternoon of April 28 when she was struck by a pickup truck driven by Joshua Wayne Cool of Emmitsburg.

There is no paved shoulder on the straight section of the road where DiNunzio was hit by Cool’s 1995 Nissan pickup, but police say that she was traveling south against the flow of traffic in accordance with Maryland law. An investigation revealed that the woman was not listening to a portable music player when the fatal accident occurred. Police also ruled out speeding or drunk driving as factors.

Cool was recently served a summons related to the accident. He has been charged with negligent driving, failing to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, and knowingly operating an uninsured vehicle. The man’s parents, Joseph R. and Ann V. Cool, both in their 50s, were also served with citations because they owned the vehicle and allowed their son to drive it uninsured.

The negligent driving charge carries a $280 fine and three points, while the failure to avoid a collision carries a $110 fine and three additional points. The uninsured vehicle charges are citations that compel the Cools to appear in court, according to Fredrick police. They face a possible $1,000 fine, up to 12 months in jail or both.

As a Maryland Automobile Accident Lawyer, I am able to represent victims and their families in situations such as this one — I can truly say that cases of wrongful death are sad events. This young woman, who was to participate in the upcoming Pittsburgh Marathon, was also just weeks away from graduating magna cum laude from Mount St. Mary’s with a degree in Spanish. Apparently, she was doing everything right.

Conversely, the driver, as well as his parents, was certainly in the wrong. The young man had a responsibility to watch out for pedestrians and failed. The parents, as owners of the vehicle, had a responsibility to make sure that the truck was insured, and they failed at that as well. It is a tragedy in every sense of the word.

Driver Injured when Pickup Slams into Hebron, Maryland, Convenience Store

June 13, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In a freak vehicle accident last week, an out-of-control pickup truck crashed into a Hebron, MD, convenience store narrowly missing employees and patrons inside. The vehicle, driven by a Nanticoke resident and containing the man’s two young children, hit the building with such force that it broke through an eight-inch-thick cinderblock wall causing hundreds of dollars of damage. The driver was the only person to sustain injuries.

According to Maryland State Police, the incident occurred on Wednesday, June 4, when Leonard George Hess lost control of his Chevrolet cabin pickup truck, which apparently traveled about an eighth of a mile across a field of flowers and a water retention pond, finally coming to a stop when it broke through the side of the Shore Stop convenience store located on westbound Route 50 at Memory Garden Lane.

According to reports, the driver was transported to the Emergency Department at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. As Maryland Automobile Accident Attorneys, we have seen many cases of runaway vehicles, which have been known to inflict numerous personal injuries to the vehicle’s occupants and bystanders alike.

In this case, it is amazing that nobody was seriously hurt, especially the children also riding in the vehicle. Reports indicate that the driver had been to the doctor that morning and may have fallen sleep after taking some new medication.

Although there was significant property damage to the side of the building where the vehicle entered, as well as merchandise inside the store that was destroyed by the impact, a Wicomico County building inspector checked the building for structural integrity and approved it for re-entry a couple hours following the crash.

Off-duty Annapolis Cop Injured in I-95 Motorcycle Accident

June 10, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

An off-duty Annapolis, Maryland, patrolman was seriously injured last week when he crashed his motorcycle into the back end of a construction vehicle on I-95, near Route 216 in Scaggsville, MD. The two-vehicle accident occurred around 11 p.m. on May 31 and shut down the interstate for nearly an hour.

Edwin Caraballo, a 28-year-old Pikesville resident who has been working one year with the Annapolis Police Department, received multiple injuries and was knocked unconscious after he apparently drove his 2004 Suzuki 600 motorcycle into the rear of a construction truck at a high rate of speed, according to Maryland State Police.

The police investigation revealed that Caraballo was riding along I-95 when he changed lanes suddenly apparently not knowing that the lane was in the process of being shut down for construction. The man hit the rear of a Chevrolet work truck belonging to DW Miller Inc., a Pennsylvania firm.

When police arrived, they found Caraballo unconscious in the roadway. Howard County Fire and Rescue personnel attempted to revive him and he was subsequently flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was listed in serious but stable condition. Reports indicate that the man only had knee and arm injuries, which makes him lucky because incidents like this can easily result in traumatic brain injuries or worse.

According to reports, the off-duty officer was not riding with the proper documentation for his bike or himself. State police charged him with negligent driving, driving an uninsured vehicle, and driving without current registration and a proper driver’s license for a motorcycle.

Multiple Injuries in West Baltimore after Car Crashes into City Transit Bus

June 7, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

More than 20 Maryland residents received various injuries on Saturday, June 6, when the MTA city bus they were riding in was hit by a Chevrolet Malibu in Baltimore County. The Route 20 bus was traveling toward Security Square when the driver of the Malibu apparently lost control and slammed into the larger vehicle at an intersection in West Baltimore.

The incident occurred at the intersection of West Baltimore and Carey streets. Although details of the car-bus accident have not yet been released — the investigation is ongoing — crashes like this can be the result of a number of possible causes. Driver error — for example inattention, confusing the accelerator with the brake pedal, or driving under the influence of alcohol — is such cause. Another common area is a vehicle mechanical problem, such as poorly maintained brakes, failure of the steering system, or even a blown tire.

Regardless of the cause in this case, nearly a dozen innocent passengers on the bus were hurt as a consequence of the accident. Many of those riders were taken to three different hospitals in the Baltimore area for treatment of their personal injuries. No one was killed in the accident, but the driver of the car was badly injured and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. As part of the police investigation, the bus driver was given a required examination for alcohol or drugs.

Driver Responsible for Death of Maryland Motorcycle Rider Gets $115 Fine

May 31, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 19-year-old driver who caused a fatal motorcycle crash that killed a Maryland man has been fined $115 for the accident, but investigators found she was otherwise not negligent in the case of this traffic death. The rider, Harry D. Catts, of Smithsburg, MD, died from injuries suffered on Route 11 in Pennsylvania in late April.

Despite the gravity of the incident, police investigators and the local prosecutor’s office said that Samantha J. Young was not grossly negligent when she turned left in front of the 72-yeal-old Catts. Eye witnesses reported seeing the teenage driver make a left turn into the path of the motorcycle rider, who struck the side of Young’s car.

Police said the crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. on April 26 at a busy intersection near the Plainfield exit of Interstate 81. According to police reports, Young told an officer at the scene that she saw the green light and made the turn, but claimed she didn’t see the motorcyclist. An accident reconstruction team reviewed the crash scene but apparently found nothing out of the ordinary. Authorities stated that there was no alcohol or cell-phone use involved, and police said that the traffic signals were found to be working properly.

As Maryland Automobile Accident Attorneys, our office has represented many families who have lost a loved one through a motorcycle or car accident. Motorcycle accidents, in particular, can result in very serious bodily injuries or even death due to complications from head trauma or spinal cord injuries.

In this case, the police determined that the driver who caused the accident was simply inexperienced and therefore not grossly negligent for the motorcycle rider’s death. Despite the local district attorney’s statement that the accident was “a mere error of judgment,” there is little solace in the fact that the young woman received only a monetary penalty.

Auto Accident News: About 100 Maryland Pedestrians Killed Every Year

May 28, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Nearly 100 pedestrians in Maryland are killed each year, but could this figure increase in the future? The most current statistics, from 2007, indicate that 110 pedestrian deaths occurred in the state, with 70 of those traffic fatalities occurring on state highways. With a struggling economy and people from all economic backgrounds looking for ways to save money, it’s important to consider that more and more people may be walking to work, school or the store than in years past.

This point was brought home by a recent editorial column in the Baltimore Sun. The writer described his experience of trying to negotiate a local roadway as a pedestrian while his vehicle was in the shop for repairs.

His main observation? Highway engineers gave little thought to the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists in the past. Almost everywhere in Maryland, the columnist explains, there are roads and highways where pedestrians are forced — by design — to walk in vehicle lanes. Maryland’s Route 2 and U.S. 40 were mentioned as two of the most deadly for pedestrians.

In a state of more than five million residents, 100 may not seem like a large number, but nobody should be subject to injury or death just for trying to get somewhere on foot. And these statistics are most likely slanted toward the poor or under-employed — folks who not only cannot afford to own a car, but who don’t even have the money for public transportation.

As a Maryland Car Accident Attorney, I have the ability to represent victims and their families in cases of auto-pedestrian accidents, including situations involving a fatality. Almost every one of these people were minding there own business, just going about their life and hoping that each passing motorist wasn’t distracted by a passenger or cell phone, intoxicated or driving under the influence of drugs, illegal or prescription.

Things have slowly improved. According to Maryland’s highway administration, pedestrian and bicyclist safety has been a top priority since the late 1990s. Before that, the administration was apparently forbidden by law to “squander” state funds on so-called luxuries, such as sidewalks. But the law was changed and many of the state’s highways have been retrofitted with sidewalks — currently 33 percent, with another two percent typically added each year.

Suspected Drunk Driver Kills Teenage Pedestrian in West Ocean City, MD

May 24, 2009 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A Decatur High School student was struck and killed last week by an allegedly drunk driver as the youth attempted to cross Route 50 in West Ocean City, Maryland. Based on eye witness information, the youngster crossed the westbound lanes to reach the center median of the road, but may have stumbled and fallen into the path of eastbound traffic where he was hit by an intoxicated driver.

The incident occurred during the resort town’s “Cruisin’” event. Just before 8 p.m. on May 16, according to police reports, Mathew B. Barcase had successfully crossed the westbound lanes of Route 50, but somehow ended up in the center eastbound lane where he was hit by a 2008 Jeep being driven by Luis A. Rodriguez, 29, of Massapequa Park, N.Y.

This is a tragic accident that should not have happened. While the youth may have been crossing in an uncontrolled section of roadway, drivers along that stretch should have been aware of the additional pedestrian traffic during the local event. It is every driver’s responsibility to be aware of other nearby vehicles, as well as local foot traffic at all times. According to news reports, the suspect was allegedly drunk at the time of his arrest.

Maryland State Police (MSP) officers reported that they detected signs Rodriguez may have been operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Further investigation led to his arrest for driving under the influence. A breath-alcohol content test was administered at the MSP Berlin barrack. Although the results have not been published, the assumption is that the driver’s blood alcohol content was over the legal limit.

Sadly, for the teachers and pupils at Decatur High School, this is the third student to die in the past year. Late last August, a would-be Decatur senior was killed when her vehicle left the roadway on Route 50 near the intersection of Route 589 just prior to the start of the new school season. And last December, another student died in an undisclosed incident.