03/18/2024
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By Erin Smith

The civil session of Bladen County Superior Court was conducted on Monday, and Judge Tanya Wallace presided over the proceedings, which included a case involving a Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputy who was involved in a crash in 2015. According to court records, the deputy was involved in the crash while he was responding to a call.

The lawsuit was brought on by Lorenzo White, alleging negligence. He is represented by the Anglin Law Firm in Raleigh.

The County of Bladen, Sheriff Jim McVicker, and Deputy Duggan, are represented by Kendra Stark with the law firm of Teague, Campbell, Dennis and Graham of Raleigh.

A motion, which was issued by Judge Douglas Sasser in April 2018, directed Sheriff McVicker and Deputy Duggan to comply with answering questions that were submitted by the Anglin Law Firm regarding the crash that occurred in June 2015.

The motion which brought the two parties to court on Monday, involved the question of whether or not the Sheriff’s Office had complied with all parts of Judge Sasser’s order. Attorney Stark argued that Sheriff McVicker and Deputy Duggan had answered all of Attorney Anglin’s questions. Attorney Stark argued that a witness, who is reported to have come forward after the initial investigation, contacted the Highway Patrol not the Sheriff’s Office. She argued that the Highway Patrol did not provide the identity of the witness to the Sheriff’s Office, only a letter, stating a witness had come forward and they were overturning their original findings.

Attorney Stark argued that Sheriff Mcvicker and Deputy Duggan had turned over all of the information they had regarding the matter. She added they were never given the name of the witness who contacted the Highway Patrol.

Attorney Anglin also argued Deputy Duggan did not respond to all of the questions submitted to him seeking information regarding the crash.

Judge Wallace issued a court order, ruling that Sheriff McVicker and Deputy Duggan had 10 days to submit the responses needed to Attorney Anglin’s correspondence. She also ordered the name of the witness, and any communications the witness had with the Sheriff’s Office following the Highway Patrol’s investigation into the cause of the crash, to be provided.

Attorney Anglin recounted the events of the crash for the court. The June 2015 crash occurred at a traffic light at the intersection of NC 211 and NC 131, according to Attorney Anglin. According to information presented to the court, White was driving northbound on NC 131 and had a green traffic light. He entered the intersection and was struck by Deputy Duggan’s patrol car, as he ran the red light and entered the intersection striking White’s car. Attorney Anglin told the court Deputy Duggan’s patrol car was traveling at about 70 miles per hour when the crash occurred. Attorney Anglin told the court the Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Duggan was responding to a “disturbance” call at the time of the crash.

According to information presented in court, the impact was so strong, occupants of the vehicle were ejected.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol conducted an investigation into the crash and sent a 450 page document complete with their findings to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office. According to the defense attorney, the Highway Patrol report found Deputy Duggan to be at fault. However, the defense attorney said following an “internal investigation of the Sheriff’s Office,” the Highway Patrol’s ruling was overturned.

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