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.
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.
3rd Annual Santa in the Park Hosted by Book ‘Em
Book ‘Em was thrilled to participate in their 3rd “Santa in the Park,” event which is an annual outreach project of the Bibb Sheriff’s Office. Each year the Sheriff’s Office selects a public park to be the site of a pre-Christmas gift-giving event for children who might not otherwise receive any gifts on Christmas day. Every child who attends this annual event receives a brand-new toy or bicycle. Book ‘Em is also there to give at least one brand-new book to each child. From 2015-2017 Book ‘Em has given close to 1,000 books to children who attend Santa in the Park. This year’s event was held at the Buck Melton Community Center on Anthony Road.
Read more:
Lauren Giddings 5K
The Association of Women Law Students at Mercer University School of Law hosted the inaugural Lauren Giddings 5K yesterday during Mercer’s Homecoming weekend. The race took place at the Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, GA. Powers Law Group was one of the sponsors of this event
All money raised will go towards the Lauren Giddings Scholarship, benefitting a Mercer Law Association of Women Law Students member to go towards bar exam preparation expenses. Currently, the average amount that our graduates spend on bar prep and living expenses the summer after they graduate is over $8,000, and federal loans do not cover even half of that amount. Lauren Giddings was a 2011 Mercer Law School graduate. She was involved throughout the law school, including her membership in the Association of Women Law Students. She is remembered for her passion for giving back, including her work with The Habeas Project. It is an honor for Mercer Law AWLS to have a 5K and scholarship in her memory.
Books given away at The Mentor’s Project of Bibb County’s Annual Fall Festival
During Bibb County Public School’s Fall Break, Book ‘Em, along with Deputies S. Smith and T. Nelson, gave away more than 100 brand-new books. Books were given to students participating in The Mentor’s Project of Bibb County’s Annual Fall Festival.
Read more:
Book ‘Em Recognizes Community Helpers
Book ‘Em joined the Bibb Sheriff’s Office at a local daycare/Pre-K center for their special day recognizing “Community Helpers.”
Read more:
Why All Drivers Need to Purchase Extra Uninsured Motorist Coverage
The following article is a prime example of why all drivers need to purchase extra uninsured motorist coverage from their auto insurance provider. The driver who caused this accident yesterday was charged with DUI, failure to yield to a stop sign, and driving without insurance. $25K doesn’t go very far if you’re hospitalized.
Macon woman’s car flips, man who hit her is charged with DUI
New Books for the Kids at Brookdale Elementary
Every Brookdale Elementary student took home five brand new books Thursday. The giveaway was hosted by nonprofit Book ‘Em in partnership with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Department.
Read more:
Brookdale Elementary Students and New Books
Macon Personal Injury and Workers Comp Lawyers of Distinction
Attorney Jeffrey Powers is a personal injury attorney and workers compensation lawyer practicing in Macon, GA that serves and protects people’s rights.
In 1998, Jeff and his wife, Katie, moved to his hometown, Orlando, FL in order to work with his father, who has a successful law practice. Jeff gained much experience from this and decided that rather than relying on his father’s connections to build a practice, that he would return to Macon and build his own successful practice.
Victory for Personal Injury Client in a Jury Trial
Bowl-a-Thon Fundraiser for Mentor’s Project
Powers Law Group is very proud to be a silver sponsor for The Mentor’s Project of Bibb County’s annual fundraiser, Bowl-a-Thon. This year’s Bowl-a-Thon will take place on Saturday, September 17th at 1:00 pm at the Gold Cup Bowling Center, located at 3720 Pio Nono Avenue, here in Macon. The Mentor’s Project is still in great need of sponsors for this event. Sponsorship levels are as follows:
*Sponsorships of $1,500 and more will have their logo printed on the Bowl-a-Thon t-shirts, banner, and a personal sign.
*Sponsorships of $1,000 and more will have a personal banner 3’ x 11’ and a personal sign
*Sponsorships of $400 and more will receive a sign sized 3’ x 5’
The money raised by Bowl-a-Thon helps to pay for a variety of services that are provided to the more than 300 children served by the Mentor’s Project of Bibb County. This comprehensive mentoring program, in additon to providing quality one on one mentoring to Bibb County Public School students in grades 7-12, also provides wrap-around services. These services include, but are not limited to: teen pregnancy prevention, food pantry, school supplies, school clothing/shoes, providing medical and dental care, rental assistance, healthy lifestyle education, anger management, financial literacy, drug awareness, etiquette classes, college scholarships, HIV/AIDS education/prevention, and a leadership academy. We know of no other organization in our community that has done as much as the Mentor’s Project has for OUR children in Macon-Bibb County. Last year, the Mentor’s Project had a 100% graduation rate. Please consider supporting the phenomenal work that they do by becoming a sponsor of their annual Bowl-a-Thon. Please contact June O’Neal at 478-765-8624 about becoming a sponsor today!
Workers Compensation Settlement for Faithful Employee
Today in Savannah, Georgia, Atty. Jeff Powers was able to achieve a settlement for a client in a worker’s compensation case. The client had been a faithful employee of the company she worked for in excess of 14 years. Our client wanted to return to work, however, the employer wouldn’t allow her to continue working. We love fighting for our clients.