Car hits pedestrian in Rhode Island

On April 12th, 2015 an alleged intoxicated automobile motorist hit a pedestrian in a parking lot at a popular nightclub in Cranston, Mardi Gras. The car driver was a resident of West Greenwich. The Providence Journal, a Rhode Island daily newspaper reported: “Cranston police said Lorna M. Grassel, 49, of 90 Kimberly Drive West Greenwich, was attempting to exit the parking lot at Mardi Gras Multi Club on Oaklawn Avenue when she struck a pedestrian around 1 a.m.”

she hit a man, whose head struck the hood of her car

According to the Cranston Patch, a local Newspaper in Cranston RI :  “Grassel had reportedly tried to leave the parking lot when she hit a man, whose head struck the hood of her car before he was thrown between two parked cars. After the impact, Grassel reportedly continued forward, struck a retaining wall and overturned to its side. Police had to smash a side window to remove Grassel, who failed a field sobriety test at the scene.”patch

Rhode Island motor vehicle crash

The Providence Journal reports concerning this motor vehicle crash: “The pedestrian, “hit his head on the hood of the vehicle before being thrown between two parked cars,” stated a news release from the Cranston Police Department. After the impact, the vehicle continued to drive forward and crashed into a retaining wall, police said. The vehicle then rolled over on its side.” Thankfully, the pedestrian injured in the parking lot crash was not seriously injured. She was transported via ambulance to Rhode Island hospital but was released. Unbelievably, her injuries were not life threatening.

Rhode Island personal injury attorneys

Rhode Island personal injury attorneys, Providence car accident lawyers and RI wrongful death lawyers know that most drunk driving pedestrian- motor vehicle accidents turn out to be fatal / deadly. This victim is lucky to be alive and there also does not appear to be traumatic brain injury (tbi). To find out more information about Rhode Island wrongful death click “In the course of a calendar year, tens of thousands of people suffer traumatic head injury in car, truck or fall accidents. A decent percent of these injuries require extensive rehabilitation or even a hospital stay.” 

Cranston police allege that the motorist, who struck the pedestrian

The Cranston police allege that the motorist, who struck the pedestrian, flunked a field sobriety test at the scene of the auto-pedestrian collision. The alleged inebriated woman was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol as well as refusing a breathalyzer test. The Cranston police reported that the alleged tortfeasor was released under personal recognizance by a justice of the peace.

According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) :”In 2012, almost three-fourths (73%) of pedestrian fatalities occurred in an urban setting versus a rural setting. Over two-thirds (70%) of pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-intersections versus at intersections. Eighty-nine percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred during normal weather conditions (clear/cloudy), compared to rain, snow and foggy conditions. A majority of the pedestrian fatalities, 70 percent, occurred during the nighttime (6 p.m. – 5:59 a.m). Between 2011 and 2012 all these percentages stayed relatively level (Table 2).” nhtsa  

 see also:

“No charges in fatal pedestrian accident in Warwick”

“Pedestrian struck, 8 cars crash in front of auto collision center”  : “Cranston police said there was initially a 5-vehicle crash in the intersection. One of the drivers involved in the first crash was outside her car when the driver of another car lost control.That car struck a parked car, which then hit the driver, who police identified,,,. The entire second crash was caught on surveillance camera (see below footage).”

Legal Notice per Rules of Professional Responsibility: The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers and attorneys in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. While this firm maintains joint responsibility, most cases of this type are referred to other attorneys for principle responsibility.