North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

An inspector for South Carolina's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) has admitted to investigators that he falsified the annual inspection report for an amusement park train ride that overturned Saturday, killing 6 year old Benjamin Easley and injuring two dozen others. Donnie Carrigan, who has since resigned from LLR, said he issued a clean inspection report despite being unable to actually test the train due to a dead battery.

Despite the falsified inspection, perhaps the blame for this tragic accident really lies with the driver of the train, Matthew Conrad. Conrad told police that he was going too fast and that "he knew better than to drive the train that fast." He also admitted that he drove faster on his second lap and that he "opened it up" on the final lap.

Members of Corinth Baptist Church in Gaffney headed to county-owned Cleveland Park on Saturday to participate in a children's day event. What was supposed to be a fun-filled family event turned tragic when a miniature train overturned, killing a 6 year-old boy, and injuring 25 others.

Killed in the crash was Benjamin "Benji" Easler, son of Pastor Dwight Easler, who was injured in the wreck along with his two older sons, who suffered broken bones and facial scarring.

According to Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt, South Carolina State officials had inspected the ride and had conducted several test runs, just 3 days before the park opened for the season on Saturday. The ride had been operating for about an hour on opening day when the train's track collapsed, causing it to derail and overturn.

Continue reading "Child Killed on Local Amusement Park Ride" »

Our North Carolina car accident attorneys recently reported to you about a fatal accident involving a high speed motorcycle accident colliding with an SUV making a U-turn, Turns out the supposed driver of the SUV, Gloria Escobar, lied to police.

According to Matthews police, Escobar's husband, Alfredo Luna Morales, who is in the country illegally, was the real driver in the accident that killed motorcyclists Craig Anderson and his passenger, Tiffany Johnson.

Morales has been charged with Resisting a Public Officer by Obstructing or Delaying Investigation and No Operator's License. He is being held in Mecklenburg County Jail due to his immigration status.

The driver of a tour bus involved in a deadly crash on I95 in New York City is now under federal investigation. Ophadell Williams was driving a tour bus with 31 passengers, from casinos in Connecticut back to Chinatown in Manhattan when he crashed, killing 15 people, and injuring the rest.

Williams told investigating officers that his bus had been clipped by a tractor trailer tuck, causing him to swerve to the right, sideswipe a guardrail for 300 feet, and ultimately crash into a support pole for a highway sign which sheared through the bus, tearing the roof off.

But passengers are telling a different story, prompting an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). An investigating officer, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, stated that passengers aboard the bus noted that the driver had swerved several times prior to the crash, and further, they did not feel any impact before the crash. This officer also interviewed other drivers on I95 at the time of the crash and no one saw the bus get hit. He also reported that the driver had an incomplete log book, something that is required for commercial drivers. Another source said Williams was speeding.

Continue reading "Driver in Fatal Crash under Federal Investigation" »