The Columbia Police Department has released a name in connection with the accident and has issued a $1000 reward for information leading to their arrest. Once she is apprehended, they expect to charge 20-year-old Whitley Monique Watson with driving under suspension and use of vehicle without owner’s consent, both in addition to the hit-and-run charge.

Detectives at the scene also found several open containers of alcohol in the abandoned vehicle and intend to add the charge to the already long list.

It was at the intersection of Middleton and Ashley Streets near Arden Elementary School when the woman collided with the Richland School District One school bus, caused damage to the bus, and ran away on foot. Columbia Police and other emergency responders quickly arrived at the location but not in time to detain Watson.

According to a Richland School District One spokesperson, at the time of the collision, the bus was transporting twenty-five children home from Alcorn Middle School.

Collisions involving buses as with other commercial vehicles are frequently the most dangerous, as they often cause considerable damage to property, involve multiple vehicles, and have a high probability for serious injury to drivers and passengers. This is especially true when these collisions happen between these large, commercial trucks and buses and smaller vehicles like cars and pick-ups.

Fortunately for the hit-and-run in Columbia, only one child was taken to the hospital as a result of the accident, and he was later reported not to have serious injuries.

Have You Been Injured in a Columbia School Bus Accident?

Contact the South Carolina personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Harris & Graves for help.

For FREE LEGAL ADVICE concerning your bus accident injuries…

Ask Harris & Graves!

The bus was transporting 51 Woodmont Middle School students when it was hit head-on by a pick-up driven by Michelle Kaufman, 42, of Simpsonville. Authorities say that Kaufman crossed into oncoming traffic and crashed into the Greenville County School bus.

Seven students suffered injuries in the bus accident and were taken to Hillcrest and Greenville Memorial. Reports state that the bus driver was also injured in the wreck and was transported to Greenville Memorial.

The driver of the pick-up, Kaufman, was badly hurt in the collision with the Greenville school bus and was airlifted to an area hospital.

Officials say that Kaufman was intoxicated and has been charged with driving under the influence.

Bus accidents, like many commercial truck accidents, often result in multiple injuries. It is also common for anyone in a smaller vehicle to suffer the worst of the injuries because of the sheer size of school buses.

5,000 people lose their lives in commercial vehicles accidents every year.

Hurt in a Greenville School Bus Accident?

You need an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you with your claim. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your accident injuries.

The Greenville bus accident lawyers at Harris & Graves can help you get the money you deserve. They have represented injured victims throughout South Carolina, including Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, Rock Hill, and Myrtle Beach.

You may be entitled to money damages for your injuries and property damage. This financial compensation could cover your medical bills, loss of income, permanent or partial disability, as well as pain and suffering.

Want Free Legal Advice?

Contact Harris and Graves today for a Free Case Evaluation concerning your bus accident injuries.

Runners and walkers will begin at Hand Middle School and follow a route through the beautiful Shandon neighborhood.

Race Registration Location:

Hand Middle School

2600 Wheat Street

Columbia, SC 29205

Administration Fee:

$25 (Pre- Registration); $35 (Late Registration after Feb. 14th)

For more information contact Elizabeth Hedgecoe at 803-777-6276.

Get some exercise and help out a great cause this weekend!

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol officials, two cars collided near the 55 mile marker in Colleton County on northbound on I-95.

The same two vehicles veered into the path of an 18-wheeler, causing it to run off the road.

The semi truck then crashed into several trees before flipping over and bursting into flames.

The driver of the 18-wheeler was able to escape the flames and was not injured.

Nine other people were injured in the accident, but none was seriously hurt. Eight were sent to the hospital for treatment.

The northbound lanes of I-95 were closed for a little over three hours as police and fire crews investigating the wreck and cleaned up the scene.

The semi truck’s trailer, a refrigerator containing fresh produce, broke apart in the accident and spilled fresh vegetables on and around the roadside.

Highway patrol continues to investigate the incident to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash.

The second car accident, which occurred around 8 a.m. on the northbound side of I-85 near Laurens, included at least five vehicles. There were no major injuries reported from the second auto accident.

Authorities have asked that witnesses of the first collision come forward with details. Criminal charges have yet to be filed.

The South Carolina judicial system often does not file charges in wrongful death cases like this one, and, should criminal charges be filed, guilty parties often only receive minimum penalties. The reason being, negligence can often be difficult to prove in criminal court. For the victims of car accidents, this outcome can be very confusing. Why should guilty parties walk away with a light slap on the wrist, while victims are left with incredible pain and suffering, not to mention extensive medical bills?

However, South Carolina gives victims of auto accidents another option: pursue justice in civil court. South Carolina allows victims to seek damages for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, funeral costs, and potentially punitive damages. South Carolina accident lawyers work within the complex civil court system to seek justice for victims of auto accidents.

Harris & Graves, P.A. is a South Carolina law firm comprised of accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys. They have restricted their practice to wrongful death and personal injury litigation for many years in the Columbia, Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Rock Hill, Sumter, Orangeburg, Florence, Conway, and Myrtle Beach areas.

Although filing a wrongful death or personal injury case in South Carolina cannot erase the pain and suffering that occurred as a result of an auto accident, it can help to begin the healing process. Often, just knowing that guilty parties have been held accountable for their actions can provide victims with peace of mind. As personal injury attorneys serving South Carolina, Harris & Graves, P.A. specializes in getting this peace of mind for victims.

If you or a loved one is the victim of an auto accident in South Carolina where another driver could be at fault, it is imperative that you contact a personal injury attorney immediately. To reach the accident lawyers at Harris & Graves, P.A. for free legal advice, call 1-800-273-HELP or click here to contact us.

The talks, held in honor of the Foundation’s 50th anniversary, are led by author and historian Dr. Warner Montgomery.

Early Columbia Lecture Series: Part I, Columbia 1600 – 1850:
Jan 17: Buffalo, Indians, Explorers and Settlers
Jan 24:    The United States’ First Planned City
Jan 31: Columbia’s First Families
Feb 7: Columbia’s First Churches
Feb. 14: Columbia’s First Schools
Feb. 21: The Columbia Canal

Part I of the Early Columbia Lecture Series, which covers the years 1600 to 1850, will end on Feb. 21.

Part II offers discussion of the capital city’s rebuilding efforts from 1865 to 1914 and offers participants the opportunity to view historic sites, including cotton mills, the University of South Carolina Horseshoe, and various Civil War sites.

Early Columbia Lecture Series: Part II, Columbia 1865 – 1914
Mar 27: The Civil War Refuge and Disaster
Apr 3: Reconstruction and Healing
Apr 10: Transportation: Rivers, Roads, Railroads
Optional Bus Tour: Sunday, April 15, 2012
Apr 17: Economic Development: Textiles & Agriculture
Apr 24: Public Education
May 1: Higher Education: Colleges & Universities

Next week’s lecture begins at 6:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30 p.m.

Each talk is held at the circa-1796 Seibels House & Garden at 1601 Richland Street in the heart of Columbia’s historic district.

The wreck occurred at the intersection of Hammet Bridge and South Buncombe Roads in Greer just after 3 a.m., investigators said.

Greenville County’s deputy coroner stated that the 20-year-old man, who was driving a Lexus SUV, died instantly upon collision with the 18-wheeler.

A witness to the accident said a fire started immediately after the crash.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was treated for injuries and released from the hospital.

An accident investigator said officials are looking into whether one of the driver ran a red light at the intersection.

Officials from the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Greer police, and the Greenville County forensics teams were all at the scene.

As investigators evaluated crash evidence and clean up crews collected debris, a detour was established for drivers trying to leave Greer on South Buncombe was set up on West Road to Highway 14, which then intersects with South Buncombe.

It took several hours for officials to investigate the scene.

Greer Police stated that the road was back open at about 1 p.m., except for the short portion of South Buncombe Road between Hammett Bridge Road and Highway 14.

Though there has not yet been an official judgment made regarding the cause of the horrific accident, there are many other truck accidents in South Carolina that have been found to be caused by a grievous human error. Drivers of passenger cars sometimes make mistakes that put them and their passengers in life-threatening or even deadly situations. But drivers of huge 18-wheelers and the owners of these massive machines sometimes make mistakes too.

For the loved ones of those who have been killed in semi-truck accidents in which the truck driver or trucking company is at fault, the pain of their loss can seem insurmountable. For some, part of that pain arises from the fact that the driver or company cannot and will not ever be punished satisfactorily for their wrongdoing. The justice system is structured to prosecute criminal behavior, not necessarily negligence or recklessness, which are often simply too nebulous to offer evidence of.

South Carolina’s civil courts offer families who have lost loved ones due to another party’s negligent or reckless behavior the opportunity to achieve a sense of closure, the feeling that some justice has been done. The civil system does so by enabling South Carolina trucking accident victims the opportunity to pursue litigation.

The accident lawyers at Harris & Graves have deep experience navigating the sometimes complex civil courts. We can help truck accident victims and their families get the verdicts they deserve for their cases.

If you or a loved one were hurt due to the negligence of another, it might be in your best interest to pursue a civil case. At Harris & Graves, we restrict our practice to helping victims of accidents get the compensation they deserve.

Do you have questions regarding your case? Looking for free legal advice in South Carolina? Ask Harris & Graves today!

The Spring and Summer sale takes place February 3-5 and will feature clothes, shoes, toys, maternity clothes and home furnishings with many items 50% off their already low prices.

Anyone with a child knows how expensive the basic necessities are. Come out to this event and save a ton on quality clothing and toys for your little one.

Event hours:

Friday, February 3rd… 9am – 7pm

Saturday, February 4th … 9am – 6pm

Sunday, February 5th … 10am – 5pm *1/2 off day

The TD Convention Center (formerly Carolina First Center) is located at 1 Exposition Drive in Greenville.

The event is free to the public.

The FREE event features performances by local artists in jazz and gospel music, poetry, and visual arts.

The Celebration begins at 11:00 a.m. in the Columbia Museum of Art on Main and Hampton Streets.

Performances will end at 3:00 p.m.

Click here for a full schedule of performances!

South Carolina’s workers’ compensation laws are there for our protection, but they can be difficult to navigate in order to get the full and proper amount of financial compensation an injured worker deserves. Aside from that, companies see their profits drop when they have to pay for accidents that injure to their workers. Some companies shrug off safety concerns and choose to fight injury claims, while others see more benefit in accident prevention.

Work-related injuries and fatalities are far more common than you might think. In fact, almost 4 million reports of workplace injuries in the U.S. were recorded last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Cintas Corporation, which operates facilities in and around Greenville, makes first-aid and safety products and are taking pro-active steps in reducing those numbers.

Cintas’ Top Safety Resolutions for 2012

 

 

Perform regular audits of workplace safety initiatives:

Benchmark safety programs to establish a baseline of performance. Once this has occurred, regularly audit the program to ensure it is working. Solicit feedback from employees and work with third-party organizations to pinpoint areas that work well and/or need improvement.

 

Set a zero-injury goal:

Studies show that workplaces with more active employee engagement programs are less likely to have accidents and that reducing the frequency of incidents allows worker productivity to remain high. To achieve a culture of safety, create prevention programs that exceed compliance regulations. Engage employees in the safety process by having them lead committees and facilitate safety audits.

 

Offer training classes that engage employees:

Blended training programs that incorporate adult learning principles with traditional and technology-mediated learning is more likely to capture the attention of employees, and in turn, be more successful. In addition to adjusting meeting formats, focus the content of safety meetings on topics of interest to employees.

 

Raise awareness of leading causes of workplace injuries:

Overexertion from excessive lifting, falling objects and slip and fall injuries are among the most common reported workplace incidents. Ensure that employees understand the conditions that lead to common injuries and the potential hazards associated with not following protocol. For example, to reduce slip and fall incidents, train personnel to clear excess liquid and objects from the floors immediately.

 

Implement a first-aid cabinet:

Having a first-aid cabinet in the workplace ensures emergency response can occur quickly in the event of an injury or illness. Cabinets provide a centralized location for bandages, aspirin and antibiotic ointment so employees know where to go should an accident occur. This also makes it easier to maintain inventory and keep track of items that need restocking.

If you have been hurt on the job, you need to contact an experienced Greenville workers’ compensation lawyer. The lawyers at Harris & Graves have represented injured workers throughout South Carolina, including Greenville, Columbia, Anderson, Spartanburg, Rock Hill, Sumter, Orangeburg, Florence, Conway, and Myrtle Beach.

Workplace injuries can be severe and sometimes fatal. They can cause life-altering disabilities and chronic pain. Don’t settle for less than you need and deserve when you are hurt at work.

Contact the South Carolina personal injury lawyers at Harris & Graves today for FREE LEGAL ADVICE about workers’ compensation and work-related injuries.

ASK HARRIS & GRAVES NOW!