Thread: NC: Woman, unborn child die after wreck

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/ ... 642520.htm

Posted on Wed, Feb. 07, 2007

Woman, unborn child die after wreck
Driver being followed by police

STEVE LYTTLE
slyttle@charlotteobserver.com

A young Rowan County woman and her unborn baby have died as a result of injuries suffered in a collision Tuesday afternoon with a driver being followed by police.

Authorities in Rowan County say the driver was not being chased -- merely followed.

The victim was Leanna Newman, 20, of Salisbury.

The wreck happened on Main Street in Landis.

Police in Landis say the incident began unfolding in Kannapolis, however, where officers say they noticed a red Jeep -- driven by Rigo Berto Guillen Martinez, 33 -- being operated erratically. Police say the Jeep crossed the center line and was weaving.

Police say they began following the Jeep. Witnesses told WCNC-TV, the Observer's news partner, that the Jeep struck several vehicles before hitting the Saturn driven by Newman.

The collision happened on Main Street in Landis. Newman's car overturned several times after being hit.

Newman, her 3-year-old daughter and Martinez all were transported to North East Medical Center in Concord initially, but Newman and Martinez were transferred Tuesday evening to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Newman and her unborn baby died overnight.

Martinez is in fair condition this morning.

Police say Newman's 3-year-old daughter was not seriously injured.

Investigators will have three issues to sort through today -- whether alcohol was involved; Martinez's status in the United States; and whether the death was the result of a police chase.

According to WCNC, Martinez had a Mexican driver license but not a N.C. license. Police have not said if alcohol was involved, or whether Martinez was in the United States legally.

Authorities also are expected to investigate whether police were chasing Martinez, although Landis officials said Tuesday that no high-speed pursuit was taking place. There have been several cases in recent months in which motorists being pursued by police struck and injured other motorists.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/ ... 38994.html

Family grieves mother killed in crash

11:26 AM EST on Wednesday, February 7, 2007

By NICOLE KONKAL / WCNC
E-mail Nicole: NKonkal@WCNC.com

Witnesses said the Jeep hit a white Saturn head-on, flipping the vehicle and injuring the passengers inside.

LANDIS, N.C. -- A Rowan County family is trying to cope with the loss of their daughter and unborn granddaughter.

Leanna Newman, 20, died overnight at Carolinas Medical Center after she was involved in a car accident Tuesday night. Leanna’s family said she would have been 21-years-old next month. They also confirmed that she was eight months pregnant with a little girl, who also did not survive the crash.

Newman also leaves behind a husband, Bradley Newman. After several years of dating, the two were married last year. They have a 3-year-old daughter who was in the car with Leanna during that crash. She walked away from the accident unharmed.

“If you could see the car, you’d think no one could have come out of it. She is absolutely fine. She knows something is wrong but doesn’t understand what is going on,” said Ron Easley, Leanna’s stepfather.

Landis Police said Rigo Martinez was driving erratically Tuesday and a Kannapolis police officer was trying to catch up with him when he crossed the center line on North Main Street in Landis, hitting Newman head on. Witnesses to the crash said this was a high-speed police chase but police deny that saying they were simply trying to pull him over for some traffic violations. “Right now we are trying to make arrangements but I also want some answers. I want to know what happened and if he was being chased. I want explanations and answers,” said Easley early Wednesday morning.

Martinez is expected to be released from the hospital on Wednesday and will face charges. Police said he was driving with a Mexican license but did not have a valid North Carolina driver’s license. Investigators are also waiting on toxicology reports to see if alcohol was involved.

Kannapolis police confirm Martinez was involved in two hit and runs moments before the fatal accident. They said there was only about 1.5 miles between the first hit and run and the second. There was no property damage and no one else was hurt.

We have two WCNC crews following this story today and will have the very latest beginning at 4:30 this evening.

Well, even if he is in the United States illegally, he is still subject to a wrongful death lawsuit. I hope the family realizes this and will sue him and go after his money even if he flees to Mexico. This man should be taken for all he will ever earn.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/10946836/detail.html

Expectant Mother Dies After Landis Head-On Collision

POSTED: 6:22 pm EST February 6, 2007
UPDATED: 12:19 pm EST February 7, 2007

LANDIS, N.C. -- A mother and her unborn baby died after a crash that shut down an intersection in Landis for hours Tuesday night.

Witnesses say police were following a red Jeep Cherokee down South Main Street when the driver, 33-year-old Rigo Berto Guillen Martinez, lost control in a curve and slammed head-on into a two-door white Saturn near West First Street around 6 p.m.

Expectant mother 20-year-old Leanna Newman of Salisbury was critically injured. She was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where she died overnight.

Newman's 3-year-old daughter was in the backseat of the car, but she was not seriously injured.


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IMAGES: Pregnant Woman Killed In Landis Crash
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Martinez was taken to Northeast Medical Center in Concord and then transported to CMC for surgery late Tuesday. He was listed in fair condition Wednesday morning.

Tommy Wilbanks was driving on Main Street and saw the accident happen, "I said, 'Mom, they're having a high speed chase', and the truck hit the white car and (the white car) done about four or five flips that way."

Witnesses jumped out of their cars when they saw the crash.

Wilbanks reached into the mangled car and grabbed the young girl.

"I have two little babies of my own, what else could I do than grab her?,” he said. “She had glass in her eye, and blood running out of her mouth, all I did was hold her."

Landis Police Chief Reggie Faggart says a Kannapolis police officer was behind the Jeep, but it was not a chase.

"He had witnessed him in Kannapolis doing some stuff, but he was trying to catch up to him to get him stopped," Faggart said.

Investigators have to determine whether alcohol was involved, Martinez's status in the United States; and whether the death was the result of a police chase.

Martinez has a Mexican driver’s license but no state license.

Really? Another AMERICAN DEATH? TWO MORE DEATHS at the hands of these disgusting criminals?

Paleeeeeeeese...........Cockfighting is way more important than this, RIGHT?

Yup, I demand that the American Government & law enforcement devote their attention to COCKFIGHTING. I demand that we take taxpayer dollars and EDUCATE these people in the value of becoming Americans.

To hell with all the American sacrifices...........GO GET THOSE COCKFIGHTERS BOYS

Down with COCKFIGHTING

Two more innocents. How many is it going to take?