Asheville, NC (July 17, 2020) – A woman from Asheville has died three days after she was hit by an Asheville Fire Department Truck. The crash originally took place on Tuesday, July 14th around 1:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Patton Avenue.
According to a report, Rachel Dawn Ruit was walking in or near the roadway when she was hit by the fire truck. Rescue workers arrived on the scene and found Ruit in the roadway suffering from life-threatening injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Mission Hospital where she spent the next three days in critical condition. Ruit later succumbed to her injuries. No other injuries were reported in the accident and the firefighters involved have not been identified.
There is no information on what caused the incident to occur. The Asheville Police Department is conducting an investigation into the crash. Anyone who has information is asked to call the police department at (828) 252-1110 or the Asheville-Buncombe Crime Stoppers at (828) 255-5050. Callers may remain anonymous.
We offer our most sincere sympathies to the family of Rachel Dawn Ruit following this fatal pedestrian crash in Asheville.
Pedestrian Accidents in North Carolina 
Each year, there are more than 3,000 pedestrians involved in crashes in North Carolina. Of this number, approximately 160 will lose their lives as a result of the crash. Pedestrian fatalities make up about 15% of all reported traffic deaths in our state. Along with bicyclists, pedestrians are among the most vulnerable individuals on our roadways. Pedestrians have virtually no protection from the force and effects of a crash with a car or other vehicle. For this reason, pedestrian crashes in North Carolina are often the most dangerous types of incidents that take place on our roadways.
A North Carolina pedestrian accident is a life-altering event. Some common injuries that are suffered in pedestrian accidents include broken bones, head trauma, spinal cord injuries, scars, and disfigurement. In the worst-case scenario, the crash results in death. Regardless of the outcome, a pedestrian crash is very likely to have negative effects on the victim and the victim’s family.
When you or a loved one have been affected by a pedestrian crash in our state, you should be knowledgeable regarding your legal rights. In North Carolina, injured victims have the right to bring a claim against a negligent driver that is responsible for the crash. In cases of death, this claim turns into a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the next-of-kin on behalf of their deceased family member.
At Burton Law Firm, North Carolina wrongful death lawyer Jason M. Burton can help you recover needed compensation in the aftermath of a tragic crash. While no amount of money can replace the loss of a family member, you can get help when you are facing a sudden increase in financial and emotional burdens. During this time, your focus should be on moving forward and you should not have to worry about whether your legal rights are being protected.
Let us put our skills and experience to work for you. For your free consultation and case evaluation, please contact us 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.
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