Deadly Car Crash Raises Questions for Gastonia Police

crashed car.jpgAccording a recent article on WCNC.com, police in Gastonia, North Carolina are conducting an investigation into a car crash with deadly consequences. It happened in the wee hours of Friday, May 18, 2012 on Beaty Road. The incident began at the intersection of Beacon Hills Drive and the police are still unsure about what caused the car crash.

The driver, Fionjela Knox, and her boyfriend, Justrivius Chambers, were driving a 2011 Chrysler Sebring. After the crash, the car came to rest on the side of the road in the middle of some bushes. Chambers was killed instantly but Knox survived the crash and is now in critical condition at an area hospital.

What is bothering investigators is the extent of the injuries to both crash victims. Doctors disagree on whether all of the injuries were caused by the crash. One doctor believes that the wreck was severe enough to have caused the substantial injuries to both victims, especially the survivor. Another doctor believes that Knox may have sustained injuries before the wreck. A police report, which has still not been finalized, claimed that Knox had been the victim of an aggravated assault shortly before the crash that seriously injured her.

The tow truck driver who was called to haul the crushed car away to a nearby lot said the police were acting very strange and he was told that he was not to touch the car in any way. Obviously the police believe that the car is of some evidentiary value and do not want to take the chance that the tow truck driver will contaminate the evidence.

Some of the neighbors told police that they heard gunshots. Glass was found several hundred yards away from where the car eventually came to rest after the crash. Some speculate that the window had been shot out just prior to the crash. Chambers had been previously convicted of possession of a firearm. Several questions still remain about what happened that night between Chambers and Knox.


While some criminal activity may have taken place, if evidence of negligence on Knox’s part surfaces, Chambers’ mother, Brenda Chambers, may have a cause of action against Knox for her son’s wrongful death. Personal injury attorneys are best equipped to handle a wrongful death case. If Ms. Chambers wanted to sue Knox for her son’s wrongful death she would have to demonstrate that she was the proper person to bring the suit and that her son, had he lived, would have been entitled to recover for Knox’s negligence. If she, through her personal injury lawyer, can show such things, in addition to the elements of negligence, she may recover damages.

If you have questions about a possible personal injury claim and would like to discuss your case with a Charlotte personal injury lawyer, call the attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC today at 704-370-2828. As experienced lawyers, they will provide you with advice about how to proceed with your claim.

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