Another Drunk Driver Causes Heartache and Death

Virginia (VA) Car Accident Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC  

According to an article in the Virginian Pilot, Ronald K. Sharpe, Jr., a gym teacher at Azalea Gardens Middle School, pleaded guilty to aggravated involuntary manslaughter and other charges stemming from a car accident on February 19, 2009. Sharpe was drunk and high when he left a nightclub on the evening of February 19. Because Sharpe chose to get behind the wheel, Alexandria Calamia was killed, and a passenger, Brandon Wise, was severely injured. Wise suffered fractures to the orbital bone of his face and collarbone. He also suffered a brain hemorrhage, which has caused memory loss and other cognitive problems. Heather Lee, another passenger in Calamia’s vehicle, suffered minor injuries.

Police said that when they got to the scene of the accident, which occurred in the 5900 block of Northampton Blvd. in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), Sharpe was walking around outside of his car. He smelled of alcohol, was stumbling, had bloodshot, glassy eyes, and his speech was slurred. Because of a cut on Sharpe’s lip, he was taken to the hospital for blood tests. The tests showed that Sharpe’s blood alcohol level was .08, which is the legal limit for driving, and showed he had smoked marijuana that night.

Sharpe gave police several explanations as to what happened, including that he had been bumped by another car. However, video from a camera at a water treatment plant shows no other car on the road.

When Sharpe is sentenced in November, he faces a maximum of six years and five months in prison. According to Karen Tanner, public relations coordinator for the Norfolk Public Schools, Sharpe will be fired from his job teaching health and physical education.

As a personal injury attorney, I talk to many people who have been injured, or their family member(s) have been injured, by drunk drivers. Even though Sharpe’s blood alcohol concentration was within the legal limit for driving, it was enough to impair his ability to drive resulting in the death of a young woman and changing the life of a young man.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Ms. Calamia and to Mr. Wise.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY, who handle car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more.

How can you identify a top Virginia injury lawyer for your case? Look no further.

Our Virginia personal injury lawyers have been selected for many accolades.

Two of the VA injury attorneys with our firm, James Lewis and Rick Shapiro, have been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Lewis and Shapiro have also selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Leiws and Shappiro, along with attorney John C. have been recognized as Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010.

Ours was the first personal injury firm in Virginia invited to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Rick Shapiro was named as one of the Top 100 Injury Lawyers in Virginia by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained what was then the largest verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person. Our brain-damaged client received an initial award of $46 million that increased to $60 million with interest compounded while the defendant pursued a failed appeal, and was confidentially settled during the appeal.

 

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Virginia Beach, VA Personal Injury Attorneys
Virginia (VA) Personal Injury Lawyers
Specializing in Virginia Wrongful Death & Injury Law