Fayetteville, NC (December 20, 2020) – A pedestrian was killed in a crash that occurred in Fayetteville on Friday night, December 18th. The crash took place just before 10:00 p.m. on North Carolina Highway 24 at the intersection with Plymouth Street.
Officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to the scene of the crash. According to a report, 42-year-old Fayetteville resident James D. McKethan, Jr. was walking near the intersection with he was struck by a 2016 Toyota Corolla. The operator of the Corolla was later identified as 24-year-old Ajaleann J. Chico-Romo, of Fayetteville. McKethan was rushed to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where he was pronounced dead due to injuries suffered in the accident. Chico-Romo was not injured.
The crash caused N.C. 24 to close for several hours while an investigation was ongoing. There have been no charges filed at this time as the investigation continues. No further details regarding the crash are available.
We would like to offer our most sincere condolences to the family of James D. McKethan, Jr. following this tragic pedestrian crash in Fayetteville.
Pedestrian Accidents in North Carolina 
In 2019, North Carolina experienced one of the most deadly years for pedestrians in our history. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, 231 pedestrians were killed in crashes that took place across our state, an increase of 2.7% from the year before. In 2017 there were 200 reported deaths in North Carolina pedestrian accidents, clearly indicating a troubling trend in recent years. Even in crashes where the pedestrian survives, they are likely to be left with serious injuries as statistics indicate that more than 90% of pedestrian accidents in North Carolina result in some type of reported injury.
Unfortunately, many pedestrian crash victims are injured due to accidents that are not their fault. Negligent drivers may be distracted, impaired, or may fail to yield the right of way to pedestrians. Police must carefully investigate each pedestrian accident in order to determine the cause. If the pedestrian was not at fault for the accident, they could be entitled to legal compensation, including payment for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical bills, and more.
Ensuring that you are fully compensated is an important goal following a pedestrian crash. You are likely to have high medical bills and could require future medical treatment. Only an experienced North Carolina pedestrian accident attorney can value your case and help you truly recover the amount to which you are entitled. At Burton Law Firm, attorney Jason M. Burton is here for you during your time of need. Together, we will make sure that you get through this difficult time.
We are standing by to take your call at any time. Our firm provides a free consultation and case evaluation for all potential and prospective clients. We also handle most accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that there is no attorney fee until we obtain a recovery on your behalf. To schedule your appointment, please contact us using the link on our website or give us a call any time 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.