Thanks to the Post and Courier, the South’s Oldest Daily Newspaper, your Charleston personal injury lawyers have been made aware that April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And in an effort to educate, prevent, and treat victims of sexual assault, officials with the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault held a press conference yesterday morning to talk about the offerings at sexual assault centers across the Palmetto State. The press conference was held at the South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia.
In other South Carolina news, an 84-year-old Charleston man has been charged with felony driving under the influence (DUI) after his Saturn Vue struck a stopped motorcycle in West Ashley. The 29-year-old motorcyclist suffered serious bodily harm in the accident, thus warranting the felony DUI charge against the elderly driver of the SUV. According to reports, the auto accident occurred around 11:00 p.m. at the intersection of the Glenn McConnell Parkway and Magwood Drive. Reportedly, the elderly driver had a green arrow to travel northbound on the Parkway from Magwood, but turned southbound into oncoming traffic, hitting the parked 29-year-old on his Honda motorcycle. He was transported to Medical University Hospital with several pelvic fractures and in serious condition. The elderly man, according to the incident report, was uninjured in the drunk driving accident with a blood-alcohol level of 0.13. He is currently jailed at the Charleston County Detention Center.
Yesterday evening, while directing evening traffic on Folly Road near Grimball Road, one of Charleston’s Finest was struck by a sport utility vehicle (SUV). Miraculously, the deputy sheriff was taken to Medical University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Your Charleston personal injury attorney uses “miraculously” because one witness to the accident noted the high speed of the SUV and that the impact sounded like two vehicles had collided. According to reports, the accident is still under investigation and possible charges against the driver had not been disclosed.
In this morning’s early, early hours a 1998 Ford pickup truck crashed into the woods off Harristown Road in the Bonneau area. Sadly, the 3:00 a.m. car accident took the life of the 48-year-old driver from Moncks Corner. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver lost control of the pickup while traveling east on Harristown Road near Highway 17A; the crash is still under investigation to determine what caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The passenger in the pickup was ejected from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries. She was transported to Medical University Hospital in Charleston. As is too often the case in serious car accidents resulting in death or serious injury, the driver and his passenger were not wearing their seat belts.
These are just a few of the many incidents that have occurred in the last few days, and your Charleston, SC lawyers at Howell Law sincerely hope that in reading this entry our readers will make an effort to employ safe driving practices to prevent similar accidents from happening. Never, under any circumstance, drive after consuming alcohol, be aware of pedestrians and officers directing traffic, and always follow South Carolina law by ensuring you and your passengers buckle up your seat belts. The Palmetto State’s roadways have been ranked as some of the deadliest in the Nation. To lessen the frequency of serious injuries and deaths due to car accidents, it will take a conscious effort from all South Carolinians to make our otherwise wonderful state a safer place to drive. Be an agent of change, lead by example, and encourage friends and family members to start driving safer. In the end, we will all be better off.