The Walmart driver whose truck collided with a van carrying the comedian Tracy Morgan and other performers had not slept for more than 24 hours before the crash, New Jersey prosecutors said on Monday.
Prosecutors in Middlesex County charged the truck driver, Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., on Saturday with one count of death by auto and several counts of assault by auto in connection with the pileup early that day on the northbound New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury Township, about 45 miles from New York City. One comedian, James McNair, known as Jimmy Mack, was killed, and Mr. Morgan was critically injured.
In a criminal complaint released on Monday, prosecutors said that at the time of the crash, Mr. Roper had been operating the tractor-trailer “without having slept for a period in excess of 24 hours resulting in a motor vehicle accident.” In a statement issued on Monday, a Walmart spokeswoman, Brooke Buchanan, emphasized that the company believed Mr. Roper “was operating within the federal hours of service regulations,” which limit work shifts to 14 hours, with only 11 of those behind the wheel. She said the company was cooperating with the investigation.
Under New Jersey law, a driver can be convicted of vehicular homicide if it is shown that he had been without sleep for at least 24 hours when the accident occurred.
A preliminary police investigation found that Mr. Roper had failed to perceive slow-moving traffic ahead of him, and, at the last minute, swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision. The complaint did not explain how the New Jersey State Police determined that Mr. Roper had been sleep deprived.
The crash occurred as Mr. Morgan, 45, a former cast member of “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock,” was traveling to New York City from a comedy show in Delaware. Around 1 a.m., a Walmart tractor-trailer collided with the back of the van, a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, setting off a chain reaction that involved four other vehicles.
Mr. Morgan sustained injuries including a broken leg, a broken nose and several broken ribs. After the crash, he and his assistant, Jeff Millea, 36, were airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. Another comedian, Ardie Fuqua, 43, was also injured.
By Monday, Mr. Morgan was responsive but remained in critical but stable condition. “This recovery will be arduous,” his publicist, Lewis Kay, said in a statement.
Written by: J. DAVID GOODMAN
Continue to Source article from nytimes.com: Driver Charged in Crash Involving Tracy Morgan Had Not Slept in 24 Hours, Prosecutors Say
Insight by Atty. Jeff Powers:
Our interstates are becoming more and more dangerous due to tired and distracted truck drivers and lax regulation by their employers. In 2012 alone, there were 333,000 large truck crashes which killed 3,921 people and injured over 104,000 in the United States. If this many people were killed or injured due to commercial airline accidents, there would be serious consequences for the airlines. Be careful on our roadways – big truck drivers are overworked, tired, and highly distracted.
Proud Sponsor of Riverside Ford – MRI Center Cycling Team
Powers Law Group is a proud sponsor of the Riverside Ford – MRI Center Cycling Team, Middle Georgia’s cycling team since 2007.
Congratulations to Our Macon Georgia Super Lawyers
Congratulations to Our Georgia 2022 Super Lawyers
We are very proud to announce the following attorneys at Powers Law Group have been named among the best in Georgia in the latest Super Lawyers magazine published by Thomson Reuters.
Learn more about Atty. Powers
Learn more about Atty. Beecher
Powers Law Group, located in Macon, GA, is a dedicated group of personal injury and workers’ compensation trial lawyers who meet with their clients face-to-face, become personally invested and deliver results. They have been providing excellent legal services since 1995.
$10M Settlement from Fatal Apartment Fire
The Importance of Underinsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
Clients frequently ask me how much automobile insurance they should have? Having full coverage means different things to different people. Whether you chose to buy towing and rental car reimbursement should not be as important as having sufficient UM (underinsured motorist or med pay coverage). Having adequate UM coverage indicates that you are concerned about protecting the people in your car as well as yourself. Unfortunately, the time to look over your insurance policy usually happens after the accident when its too late to increase the coverage one should really carry. Each person should regularly look at their own policy and make sure that they are adequately insured in case of an accident. By the time they call Powers Law Group, the client is probably not at fault for causing the accident, but in need of a trial lawyer. This is when we can help you make the right decisions about handling your case.
Car Insurance Laws in Georgia
You need a personal injury trial lawyer and someone who can provide advice on what to do with having to pay these medical providers and seek follow up medical treatment. In summary, if you get the treatment, you have to pay the providers for the services rendered. Our firm represents people from all over Georgia in cases such as this.
Proud to Support Our Community
Annual Holiday Event Santa in the Park 2021
Santa in the Park Special Funding Request
Normally, the Bibb Sheriff’s Office is able to give 50 bicycles to children during this event. There will be lots of sad faces on Saturday if we cannot raise more money. The cost of bicycles has gone up by about 30% this year.
If you, or your business, can help us make some children’s Christmas wishes come true, we would be most grateful! Donations can be made by clicking on the following link:
All funds raised between now and Saturday will be matched by Powers Law Group.
Jeff Powers Selected to the 2022 Georgia Super Lawyers List
September 3, 2021 –
Jeff Powers has been selected to the 2022 Georgia Super Lawyers list, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5% of attorneys in Georgia receive this distinction.
Jeffrey N. Powers
Rated by Super Lawyers
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Now, with 25 years of experience, having represented people in all walks of life, Mr. Jeff Powers is the lawyer you need to ensure that you have the best representation possible.
Lawyers at Powers Law Group Named to the 2021 Georgia Super Lawyers list.
MACON, GA – Feb. 19, 2021 –– Powers Law Group is pleased to announce that lawyers, Jeff Powers and Adam Beecher have again been selected to the 2021 Georgia Super Lawyers list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of attorneys in the state.
“Your chances of maximizing compensation are better when you’re represented by lawyers who know how to represent you. We believe our clients are awarded larger settlements because we are experienced, passionate and always there to support and protect them. That’s how we became one of the few firms recognized by the Super Lawyers program,” said Founding Partner Jeffrey Powers.
The objective of Super Lawyers is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys to be used as a resource for both referring attorneys and consumers seeking legal counsel. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country, as well as the Georgia Super Lawyers Digital Magazine.
Attorney Jeff Powers has been practicing law for over 25 years. He is a graduate of Florida State University and Mercer University’s School of Law and has been licensed to practice law in both Georgia and Florida since 1995. Immediately after graduating from law school, Jeff worked with the Bibb County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor. While there, he gained invaluable experience representing victims and the community-at-large in multiple felony jury trials. After working for the DA’s Office for three years, Jeff began working for a local law firm specializing in insurance defense cases. During this time, he gained valuable insight into the practices used by insurance companies to deny claims. Also during this time, Jeff realized that his true calling was to represent injured people, and their families, who need an advocate to fight for them.
Adam’s practice focuses on representing individuals who have been injured and families whose loved ones have been killed in accidents. Atty. Adam Beecher has been selected to the Georgia Rising Star list by Super Lawyers Magazine in the past. He has also been awarded the 10 Best in Client Satisfaction in Bibb County, Georgia by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. Adam was also selected in 2013 as a “Legal Elite Top Lawyer” by Georgia Trend Magazine, which compiles an annual listing of Georgia’s top attorneys..
Powers Law Group is a personal injury and workers compensation law firm that has been helping clients in Middle Georgia for over 25 years. The firm’s award-winning attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for deserving clients with a focus on outstanding customer service. If you are looking for a personal injury or workers compensation lawyer, give us a call for a free consultation. Call 478-738-8884.Available 24/7.
Powers Law Group is a Proud Sponsor of The Mentor’s Project of Bibb County
Middle Georgia Justice’s 2nd Annual “A Taste For Justice”
The 2nd Annual “A Taste For Justice” is a fundraiser presented by Middle Georgia Justice, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to help people who need legal services but cannot afford them to get those services on a pro bono or reduced fee basis.
Last year the 1st Annual “A Taste For Justice” was an in-person, winetasting event. This fundraising event had to be re-imagined this year due to COVID-19. The 2nd Annual “A Taste For Justice,” is a virtual fundraising event. The following video is a good overview of what the Middle Georgia Justice does, who they work with, and how they help people, as well as some entertainment, to give you a “taste” for our community in Middle Georgia.
Powers Law Group is proud to be one of the Platinum Sponsors this year.
Powers Law Group and Powers Family Foundation Donation to Help Build Custom Bicycles for the Major Taylor Middle Georgia
Macon Nursing Home Reports 90 Positive Cases of Novel Coronavirus and 6 Deaths
A Macon nursing home has had six deaths, and more than 90 residents and staff members have tested positive for COVID-19.
Pruitt Health Macon, at 2255 Anthony Road, has 72 residents and 20 staff members who have tested positive for the new coronavirus, and six people have died, according to a report released Monday by the Georgia Department of Community Health.
Read more here: https://www.macon.com/news/local/article242168451.html
Powers Law Group has represented hundreds of patients and their families as well as healthcare workers in nursing home facilities, including this one in Macon. Unfortunately, poor safety practices and lax standards are common in nursing homes and assisted living centers throughout the State of Georgia. We pray for the 90 residents and healthcare workers who have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus at Pruitt Health Macon, most especially for the loved ones of the six residents who have perished due to their illness. Sadly, this was preventable. We should do more, as a society, for those in our community who cannot care for themselves.
The trial lawyers at Powers Law Group prosecute claims of nursing home abuse and neglect for both residents and the health care workers who are forced to enforce corporate policies that put both parties at great risk for harm. Sadly, there are large corporations, such as Pruitt Health, that are making calculated decisions to value money and profit over health and safety. It is our job to hold them accountable for these decisions.
Jeffrey N. Powers Named to 2020 List of Georgia Super Lawyers
Macon, GA – Powers Law Group is pleased to announce that founding partner Jeffrey N. Powers, has been named to the Thomson Reuters 2020 list of Georgia Super Lawyers which are made in accordance with the set of standards set forth by Thomson Reuters under the Super Lawyers Selection Methodology.
– Jeff Powers
Jeffrey N. Powers is the founding partner of Powers Law Group, LLC a leading personal injury law firm in Macon, Georgia. Mr. Powers devotes his law practice to personal injury and workers compensation law. His firm represents Georgia residents in matters involving trucking, automobile, motorcycle accidents, premises liability, construction accidents, burn injuries, wrongful death and other catastrophic injuries caused by negligence.
Mr. Powers earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Florida State University and received his law degree from Mercer University School of Law in 1995. He obtained his license to practice law in 1995, and is qualified to appear before all Georgia trial and appellate courts, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Georgia and U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. Finally, Mr. Powers is licensed to practice law in the State of Florida.
About the Firm
Powers Law Group, located in Macon, GA, is a dedicated group of personal injury and workers’ compensation trial lawyers who meet with their clients face-to-face, become personally invested and deliver results. They have been providing excellent legal services since 1995, making every client their first priority. By focusing on their client’s cases and fighting hard on their behalf, they have closed cases in the areas of personal injury and workers’ compensation that have resulted in settlements from tens of thousands to multi-million dollars. If you’ve been hurt at the fault of others, the attorneys at Powers Law Group will work your case, and help you get the compensation that you deserve.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Our On-Site Support Dog & Mascot – Rosebud
Book ‘Em Takes It to the Streets in Macon
Macon Book ‘Em will continue these surprise ride-along trips to “Book ‘Em” regularly moving forward. A special thank you to Major Kelvin Harris for arranging our ride-along today with the wonderful Deputy Tommy Harris.
Distracted big truck drivers have killed thousands of Americans
The Walmart driver whose truck collided with a van carrying the comedian Tracy Morgan and other performers had not slept for more than 24 hours before the crash, New Jersey prosecutors said on Monday.
Prosecutors in Middlesex County charged the truck driver, Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., on Saturday with one count of death by auto and several counts of assault by auto in connection with the pileup early that day on the northbound New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury Township, about 45 miles from New York City. One comedian, James McNair, known as Jimmy Mack, was killed, and Mr. Morgan was critically injured.
In a criminal complaint released on Monday, prosecutors said that at the time of the crash, Mr. Roper had been operating the tractor-trailer “without having slept for a period in excess of 24 hours resulting in a motor vehicle accident.” In a statement issued on Monday, a Walmart spokeswoman, Brooke Buchanan, emphasized that the company believed Mr. Roper “was operating within the federal hours of service regulations,” which limit work shifts to 14 hours, with only 11 of those behind the wheel. She said the company was cooperating with the investigation.
Under New Jersey law, a driver can be convicted of vehicular homicide if it is shown that he had been without sleep for at least 24 hours when the accident occurred.
A preliminary police investigation found that Mr. Roper had failed to perceive slow-moving traffic ahead of him, and, at the last minute, swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision. The complaint did not explain how the New Jersey State Police determined that Mr. Roper had been sleep deprived.
The crash occurred as Mr. Morgan, 45, a former cast member of “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock,” was traveling to New York City from a comedy show in Delaware. Around 1 a.m., a Walmart tractor-trailer collided with the back of the van, a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, setting off a chain reaction that involved four other vehicles.
Mr. Morgan sustained injuries including a broken leg, a broken nose and several broken ribs. After the crash, he and his assistant, Jeff Millea, 36, were airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. Another comedian, Ardie Fuqua, 43, was also injured.
By Monday, Mr. Morgan was responsive but remained in critical but stable condition. “This recovery will be arduous,” his publicist, Lewis Kay, said in a statement.
Written by: J. DAVID GOODMAN
Continue to Source article from nytimes.com: Driver Charged in Crash Involving Tracy Morgan Had Not Slept in 24 Hours, Prosecutors Say
Insight by Atty. Jeff Powers:
Powers Law Group and Book ‘Em Helps Bloomfield Youth Baseball with Trip to World Series
Powers Law Group is committed to supporting those in our community who work to make it a better place to live, especially when their work involves improving the lives of children and young people. Yesterday, we saw a local news story about a team of young all-star baseball players from Bloomfield Youth Baseball League. The team highlighted is in the U6 League, or under 6-year-old league. They have been working, along with two other qualifying teams from Bloomfield (U8 and U10) to raise $3,000 in order to play in the USSSA’s All Star World Series in Gulfport, MS next week, and were still $1,000 short of their goal. They needed funds to pay for travel, lodging, and meal expenses for the trip. After working and practicing so hard from January through the final state tournament earlier this month, we knew we had to help these determined kids, and their dedicated coaches make this dream into a reality.
Today, we visited the Bloomfield Community Center, where an end-of-the-season celebration was taking place, to deliver a check to cover the remainder of the expenses. We had the privilege of meeting Adonis Hollingshed, the President of Bloomfield Youth Baseball, and several of the wonderful coaches who have gotten the teams to World Series status. Sadly, we were unable to meet the team members because they were working at a car wash a few miles away to continue to raise money. This speaks to the level of dedication these young boys possess to achieve their goal. For many of them, it will be their first trip outside of Georgia, and their first chance to visit the ocean.
We look forward to watching their games, which will be live-streamed here:
USSSA World Series
We will be cheering them on from Macon and hope that you will join us!
Additionally, Book ‘Em, our primary outreach project, brought over 100 brand-new books for the teams to have for the bus trip to Gulfport, and keep forever. Titles included “Jackie Robinson – a young reader’s biography,” “Clifford Makes the Team,” “Get a Hit, Mo!,” and “Little Shaq Makes a Decision.”
With all of the disheartening news of violence, shootings, and killings occurring on an almost daily basis, it is truly a God-send to know that there are many working daily in our community to be role models and leaders for our young people. These are the kind of “gangs” and “gang leaders” that we need. We salute Bloomfield Youth Baseball for their amazing work!
Supporting our local youth on a Tuesday afternoon…
Proud Supporter of Book ‘Em to Improve Childhood Literacy
We are proud to support Book ‘Em’s efforts, in partnership with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, to improve childhood literacy rates in Macon-Bibb County!
Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies spent the morning with our partner Book ‘Em, at the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia, Inc. Deputies helped hand out books and coloring books to children.