Former NBA star and fan favorite Mookie Blaylock is facing charges of driving on a suspended license and failing to stay within his lane after he caused a car crash on Friday morning that left one woman dead.
Blaylock is best known for his years with the Atlanta Hawks but also played for the Golden State Warriors and the New Jersey Nets, now the Brooklyn Nets, following his draft into the NBA in 1989.
The collision occurred just outside of Atlanta on Tara Boulevard, a popular four-lane highway in the area. It appears that Blaylock was traveling in one direction and lost control of his Cadillac Escalade, crossed a center median, and entered the highway going the other direction. Blaylock's SUV collided head-on with a van in a violent collision. A 43-year-old female front seat passenger in the van was killed in the crash and Blaylock was critically injured. Emergency medical technicians transported Blaylock by air ambulance to an area hospital where he was placed on life support for several hours.
Following surgery for a broken ankle, Blaylock is in critical condition and reportedly is no longer on life support. However he is currently being sedated by his physicians. Once he is able to speak, police intend to interview him about the collision and may level additional charges against Blaylock, including a potential charge for vehicular homicide. So far, Blaylock has been charged with driving on a suspended license and failing to stay within his lane of traffic.
The family of Mookie Blaylock have reported that he suffers from seizures and has received medical treatment for them and recently had an episode where paramedics had to be called to his home during one of Blaylock's seizures. It is not clear whether doctors had given him any instructions regarding his ability to drive. Reports indicate that an arrest warrant was recently issued in Spalding County, Georgia for Blaylock on charges of driving under the influence and a drug charge though it does not appear that these prior charges had anything to do with the current accident.
Head-on collisions of the type involved in this accident are often violent and account for a disproportionate number of fatalities each year. Though head-on collisions account for only two percent of all crashes, they are responsible for nearly 10 percent of all fatalities. One of the reasons they are so deadly is that these collisions often occur when one driver fails to stay within his own lane and crosses a center line or median. Statistically this results in serious collisions most often on roads with high rates of speeds, like rural highways or other areas with light traffic.
In addition to the pending traffic violations and possible criminal charges, Blaylock may face a civil suit for the damages he caused to the victim and her husband who was reported driving the van and was injured in the crash. These civil suits may include claims for the injuries caused by Blaylock's negligence and for the loss of the victim's life.
If you have been injured in a head-on collision, you may have a claim for your damages against the driver responsible for your injuries. Call the Illinois car crash attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free, no obligation telephone consultation regarding your accident, your injuries, and your rights. We have a lawyer available 24 hours a day so please call us now at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442.
Prior Blog Entry:
Driver Gets 10 Year Prison Sentence for Road-Rage and DUI Crash that Killed Biker, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published June 3, 2013.
Van Driver in Illinois Crash that Killed 5 Had Suspended License, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published June 2, 2013.
Resources:
Blaylock faces charges in fatal accident, Chicago Tribune, published June 2, 2013.
Mookie Blaylock improves after crash, may face charges, by Ray Glier, USA Today, published June 1, 2013.
Photo Credit: Image ID: 448500, throbi, stock.xchng.
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