Columbus County, NC (June 5, 2021) – A 50-year-old man was killed in a pedestrian crash that took place in Columbus County early Friday morning. The crash was reported just after 7:00 a.m. on North Carolina Highway 701 near the Holiday Motel in Whiteville.
Troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol responded to the crash scene. According to a report, 50-year-old Jean Emmaniste Samedy was walking near the roadway when he was hit by a vehicle that was traveling on N.C. 701. Samedy suffered critical injuries and died at the accident scene. The driver fled the scene and was later located by troopers.
At this time, there have been no charges filed but an investigation is ongoing as troopers have obtained a search warrant for the vehicle in question. No further information has been released.
We would like to extend our condolences to the family of Jean Samedy following this tragic fatal pedestrian crash in Columbus County.
Fatal Pedestrian Accidents in North Carolina 
North Carolina is quickly becoming a very dangerous state for pedestrians. The number of fatal pedestrian accidents in North Carolina has risen incrementally over the past several years. In 2017, there were 200 pedestrian deaths in our state. In 2018, the number rose to 225, and in 2019 it rose again to 231. An astonishing 10% of all pedestrians who were involved in a crash with a motor vehicle were killed as a result of the accident. In addition to fatalities, there were also 2,059 injuries reported due to North Carolina pedestrian accidents. Many of the injuries to pedestrians are severe in nature, requiring expensive and long-term medical care and causing physical disabilities that can severely impact the victim’s life.
With most pedestrian crashes resulting in injuries, it is important to understand what rights you may have following a pedestrian accident in our state. North Carolina law allows the victim of a pedestrian crash to seek recovery in some circumstances. Your right to receive compensation will depend on who was at fault for the accident. Under North Carolina law, a victim who was injured by the negligence of another person can pursue payment for their pain and suffering caused by the accident, lost wages, medical bills, and potentially punitive damages. A close investigation of the crash and the surrounding circumstances may be needed to determine how the accident occurred.
At Burton Law Firm, we are here to help during your time of need. North Carolina pedestrian accident lawyer Jason M. Burton serves injured victims in the Fayetteville area and throughout the communities of eastern North Carolina. For more than 8 years, we have handled injury claims arising from all types of accidents and have successfully recovered over 40 million dollars in total compensation for our clients and their families.
We are standing by to take your call at any time. Our consultations are always free for all potential clients. We handle most accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that there is no obligation to you until we obtain a recovery on your behalf. To schedule your appointment with a member of our team, please contact us online or give us a call at (833) 623-0042.
Note: Burton Law Firm utilizes a variety of outside sources in the creation of these accident news posts. These sources include news bulletins, police reports, first-hand accounts, news stories, as well as additional outside sources. For this reason, the details surrounding this accident have not been independently verified by our office or writing staff. If you find information that is not correct about an accident that we have written about, please contact our firm as soon as possible so that we can promptly correct the information. If you would prefer that we remove the story, contact us directly and we will make every effort to remove the story in a timely manner.
Disclaimer: Our team of personal injury lawyers at Burton Law Firm has taken pride in being active members of our local business community for more than 8 years. We are always striving to improve the quality of life for our community members and improve the overall safety and well-being of all North Carolinians. We hope that by providing this information about the dangers of driving that we will bring added awareness and drivers will use increased caution when operating a motor vehicle. Our thoughts are with everyone who may have been affected by this incident. This post is not a solicitation for business. None of the information in this post should be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. The photos in this post are not a depiction of the actual accident scene.