Clarkton N.C. Man Sentenced to Prison for Fatal Drunk Driving Crash | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What happened:

A 20 year-old Clarkton man was sentenced to six months in prison after pleaded guilty to felony death by motor vehicle and driving while impaired. On May 3, 2012, the defendant was driving his 2003 Toyota Camry when it slammed into a tree on Shade Fisher Road south of Chadbourn, nearly splitting the car in half. The victim, a 21 year-old Chadbourn resident, had been asleep in the front seat and was killed after being thrown from the car. Investigators said the Camry was traveling about 100 mph when it hit the tree.

The defendant was also sentenced to three years of supervised probation and ordered to undergo alcohol and psychological evaluations and treatment. He also must perform 75 hours of community service. On the same day he was sentenced, the defendant also entered a guilty plea for a totally unrelated event to the accident – driving after consuming while under the age of 21. This was from an arrest four months after the fatal crash. He was sentenced to serve 20 days in jail following the six months on the death by motor vehicle case.

 

The North Carolina Injury Lawyer Perspective:   

The Fayobserver also reported on pending charges against a Whiteville area couple who are accused of serving alcohol to Wilkinson on the night of the crash. A 47 year-old woman was charged with was charged with giving alcoholic beverages to a person younger than 21, and aiding and abetting a person younger than 21 in the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Her husband, 51, was charged with aiding and abetting in the underage possession and consumption of alcohol.

A young life was tragically taken because of alcohol. The victim’s family should consult with a North Carolina wrongful death attorney to see what civil liabilities not only the driver of the vehicle has, but also the couple who allegedly provided the alcohol to the underage man, as well.

 

Shade Fisher Road, Chadbourn, NC


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Helpful Info:

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