A recent Saturday afternoon wreck killed one man and seriously injured his wife on Interstate 440, just short of the exit onto I-40 near Jones Franklin Road in Raleigh.
The couple were trapped in the wreckage of their car after a pick-up truck crossed over the median and slammed head-on into their vehicle. The fatal accident occurred at approximately 5:15 p.m., as they were westbound.
Records indicate that numerous motorists called 911 and stopped to render assistance to the couple. The 67-year-old deceased man was the former Economic Development Director for the City of Garner. His 66-year-old wife is still hospitalized but is expected to recover.
The pick-up truck driver, a 21-year-old Raleigh resident, was also injured and remains hospitalized. He faces charges of felony death by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving and drunken driving.
A 911 caller who was traveling right behind the couple described “a horrible accident” to the dispatcher. After the head-on impact, both vehicles skidded across the highway into some trees along the roadside. Smoke poured from the truck and both vehicles’ airbags had deployed and were dangling outside. The truck traveled across four lanes before slamming into the couple’s Toyota.
Law enforcement personnel investigating the fatal wreck have not yet submitted their accident report due in part to the complexity of the crash.
People who make the decision to get behind the wheel of the car after drinking alcohol or being impaired by other drugs pose serious hazards on the road. They must be made to face both criminal and civil sanctions for their negligence.
If you have been injured by a drunk or impaired driver, you deserve compensation for your injuries and loss of work time. Consulting with a North Carolina personal injury attorney is the first step towards holding them accountable for their actions.
Source: News Observer, “Motorists stopped to help after fatal crash on I-440 in Raleigh” Kyle Jahner and Thomasi McDonald, Apr. 28, 2014
