State Trooper Ends Chase In Harford County, Maryland

On February 8, 2011, Federal Marshals issued a lookout for a silver Ford Taurus with Virginia tags in the Harford County area.  The operator of the vehicle, Brandon L. Pegram, 23, of Virginia was believed to be armed with a handgun and shotgun.  According to police officials, Pegram held his family hostage and threatened to harm any law enforcement officers who attempted to capture him. 

The vehicle was spotted by deputies at approximately 2:47 p.m. on Route 40 at Gateway Drive in Edgewood, Maryland.  The deputies attempted to initiate a stop when the vehicle fled the scene and traveled on Route 40 towards Baltimore County.  State Troopers from the Bel Air Barracks as well as Baltimore County officers joined in the pursuit.

Pegram attempted to ram civilian motorists and run down two deputies.  When he attempted to strike one of them a second time, causing the deputy to dive out of the way, a State Police Sergeant used his patrol vehicle to impact Pegram's vehicle.  The Trooper used a pit maneuver to force the suspect's vehicle to the side of the interstate and up against the guardrail.   The Trooper impacted Pegram's driver side door to prevent him from escaping on foot.

After resisting arrest Pegram was taken into custody with minor injuries.  He is facing charges of robbery, felony assault, kidnapping, first and second degree assault, vehicle theft, reckless endangerment, malicious destruction of property, and numerous traffic violations. 

Fortunately, innocent motorists were not injured in this accident.  Not to say, that the State Trooper who was forced to ram his patrol car into the suspect's vehicle did not sustain injuries.  In the event he did sustain injuries he would be entitled to make a claim for workers compensation as he was in the course of his employment when this accident occurred.  Workers compensation benefits an individual for an accidental injury at work.

In the event the suspect had endangered the lives of the other motorists or caused them bodily injuries they would have claims for personal injuries. Unfortunately, their claims would be known as uninsured motorist claims as they would not be able to make a claim against the owner of the vehicle the suspect was driving, as the vehicle was stolen.  Instead, the injured parties would be entitled to make a claim under their own automobile insurance for uninsured benefits.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has been involved in a work-related accident, car accident or you need more information on work-related accidents or car accidents, please visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshureaccidentlawyers.com or contact one of our Maryland accident attorneys for a free consultation. 

Two Serious Bus Accidents in Harford County, Maryland

Monday, January 18, 2010, a school bus was stopped at a red light on Route 40 in Edgewood, Maryland when a man drove his vehicle under the school bus. The man, 72 year old Theodros Dimitrios Xenakis of Forest Hill, Maryland had to be cut out of his vehicle and was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma in serious condition.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010, a second serious bus accident occurred at 2:00 p.m. when a Ford Expedition collided with a Harford County school bus near Harford Technical High School. The driver of the Ford Expedition also had to be cut out of his vehicle and was taken to Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore City for his injuries.

Thankfully in both accidents no children were injured. In the United States there are more than 450,000 school buses that transport our children to and from school. The safety of children is a daily concern for parents, teachers, daycare providers and anyone taking children into their care. Bus drivers assume the responsibility for children everyday ensuring their safe return to and from school.

If a child is injured in a school bus accident it can change their life as well as the lives of their parents in an instant. Parents should be aware that companies that provide public transportation vehicles can be held liable for the safety of their vehicles. It is important that you consult with an experienced bus accident injury lawyer if you or someone you know is injured in this type of accident. Portner & Shure has handled countless bus accident cases, including one where we sued Peter Pan Bus Company for the driver's negligence. The driver was overworked and in fact fell asleep at the wheel while driving on Interstate 95 in Harford County. The recovery against the bus company was $ 550,000.00.

If your child or someone you love has been injured in a bus accident, you should contact an experienced attorney. The attorneys at Portner & Shure have many years of experience representing bus accident victims in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.