Mecklenburg County Highway Chase Leads to Head-On Collision Causing Serious Injuries
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Two men were injured after their vehicle crashed with another vehicle that was being pursued by the police. Katrina Oxendine, 27, of 713 Lincolnton Road, was charged after she led the Salisbury Police on a high-speed chase that was estimated to have been 115 mph. She was driving a 2004 Dodge Intrepid passenger vehicle. The chase began on the interstate, at some point she got off the interstate around 63, and then got back on I-85, headed south in the northbound lanes. That’s where she collided head-on with a 2007 Ford work van driven by Darrell Clark, 47 of Gasburg, Va.
Fortunately, Clark and his Son Thomas, 23, a passenger of the van did not sustain major injuries. Thomas Clark had only a sprained ankle and an injury to his left hand. Oxendine got the most impact as evidenced by her car’s wreck which had to be cut in half. She had cuts on her faces as well. She had to be airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC and later released. No alcohol was found in Oxedine’s vehicle, however, drug paraphernalia was found.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 17,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2006. Studies also have found that drugs are used by 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol. According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 10.2 million people age 12 and older reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the year prior to being surveyed. This corresponds to 4.2 percent of the population age 12 and older, similar to the rate in 2005 (4.3 percent), but lower than the rate in 2002 (4.7 percent). In 2006, the rate was highest among young adults age 18 to 25 (13.0 percent).
It is our moral responsibility to stay away from alcohol and or any prohibited drugs when driving. Innocent victims risk lives because of some irresponsible drivers. Aside from this, safety belts and air bags are very important to avoid fatalities.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and we have experience handling wrongful death cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our law firm has offices in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (NC) and Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys have handled numerous wrongful death cases and we understand the difficult circumstances which accompany these types of cases. That’s why you need an experienced attorney to help you through the legal process. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, VA, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . In addition, our lawyers proudly edit the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard, as well as the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.
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