At approximately 7 am on Wednesday morning, 67 year old Charlsie Peters of Roanoke died when the 2005 Dodge Caravan she was driving was pushed over an embankment and then plunged into Mason’s Creek.
She had been driving on Catawba Valley Drive in Roanoke County and had begun to slow the van down as she came upon stopped traffic near Bradshaw Road. The car behind her, a 2011 Acura MDX failed to slow down and rear-ended the van. Ms. Peter’s Dodge was pushed into another car, a 2013 Chevy Malibu. It was after the van struck the Malibu, that the van then went off of the right shoulder of the roadway, fell down the embankment and overturned, landing in Mason’s Creek.
The Roanoke County Police Department investigated the scene. At the time of this posting, charges were pending. Virginia has a rear-end law, which presumes in this case that the driver of the Acura would be considered at fault.
Police have stated that neither weather conditions nor alcohol are believed to have been a factor in the multi-vehicle car accident.
Speed was most likely a factor given the Acura’s ability to push the minivan into another vehicle and then off of the roadway. Driver distraction may also be a contributing factor to the accident that caused this wrongful death.
No information was given as to the conditions of other people involved in the accident.
Our sincere condolences are offered to the family of Ms. Charlsie Peters.
Paul Thomson of the Thomson Law Firm in Roanoke, VA has been a practicing attorney for 26 years. He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the West Virginia State Bar. He is also an active member of the Virginia Trial Lawyer’s Association, The American Association for Justice and The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates. To learn more about the recoveries he has obtained for his clients, click here.
