Tom MacCallum

Richmond County Daily Journal

In recent motor vehicle accidents in Richmond County, the N.C. Highway Patrol reported seven people injured in four separate accidents.

At 1:30 a.m. May 18 on U.S. 1 south of Rockingham a passenger in a sport utility vehicle was injured when it left the roadway and struck a highway sign, the patrol said.

Shawanda Swinnie, 19, Tillman Road, Rockingham, was taken to FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital after the accident.

The vehicle in which she was riding was driven by Tesheena Lavett Watkins, Lady Mary Lane, Rockingham. She was cited for unsafe tires and failure to maintain a travel lane.

Her 1999 Ford received $1,600 damage; the N.C. Department of Transportation sign, $250.

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At 10:11 p.m. May 20 on U.S. 1 north of Hoffman, two drivers were injured after a rear-end collision, the patrol said.

Timothy Dwayne McDonald, 23, Homeward Drive, Rockingham; and Teresa Annette Chavis, 35, U.S. 1 North, Hoffman, were both taken to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Carthage.

McDonald was cited for failure to reduce speed.

McDonald’s 2003 Kia received $5,000 damage; Chavis’ 1999 Cadillac, $3,000.

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At 6:35 p.m. May 22 on the U.S. 74 Bypass entrance ramp at N.C. 177, three people were injured in a rear-end collision, the patrol said.

Injured in a car driven by Terry Brown Rainwater, 43, Old 74 Highway, Rockingham, were Jean Carpenter Carter, 70, Freeman Mill Road; and Kathryn Bowers, 72, Deweese Avenue, Rockingham.

Rainwater was taken to FHRMH; Carter and Bowers were taken to Sandhills Regional Medical Center.

The driver of a car, which the patrol said struck the rear of Rainwater’s vehicle, was Stacey Long Leviner, N.C. 381, Hamlet.

Leviner was cited for failure to reduce speed.

The 1993 Buick Rainwater was driving received $2,000 damage; Leviner’s 2007 Nissan, $2,000.

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At 10:46 a.m. May 23 on U.S. 1 north of Rockingham, a pedestrian was struck by a passing vehicle, the patrol said.

Billy Jack Hunt, 31, U.S. 1 Rockingham, was walking along the Highway when he entered the path of an oncoming vehicle driven by Albert O’Dell Covington, N.C. 177, Hamlet, the patrol said.

Hunt was taken to SRMC after the accident.

Covington’s 2008 Ford received $300 damage.



n Arrest reports are taken from incident records with the N.C. Highway Patrol.