Bryan Stewart

Richmond County Daily Journal

A local man lost control of his vehicle and slammed into several parked cars at a car dealership on Mill Road, causing $20,000 damage on Oct. 16.

The accident occurred at 11:08 p.m. on Mill Road when John Edward Graham Jr., 47, McDondald Avenue, Hamlet, and Richard Joseph Leviner, 50, Wannomaker Lane, Charlotte, were involved in an accident after Graham crossed the center line and collided with Leviner who was traveling in the opposite direction, according to reports from the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Graham continued and struck a chain-link fence and eventually broke through, striking a parked Mitsubishi Eclipse. The Eclipse than hit a Cadillac CTS, damaging it and scraped the bumper of a 2003 Dodge Intrepid, which was also parked.

Graham came to rest after hitting another vehicle, a 2003 Mitsubishi Galant.

A parked Chevy Impala was damaged by the falling fence.

Graham was cited with driving while intoxicated and careless and reckless driving.

He was taken to FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital.

Damage to his 1998 Ford was estimated at $2,000. The damage to Leviner’s 1993 Toyota was estimated at $2,000 and overall damage to other property and vehicles was estimated at $20,000.

Other accidents reported by the North Carolina Highway Patrol include:

n On Oct. 19 at 3:20 p.m. on WIregrass Road, Bradley Warren Messer, 18, Northam Road, Rockingham, and Raul Casarrubias Jr., 16, Airport Road, Hamlet, were involved in an accident after Messer failed to reduce speed and slammed into the back of Casarrubias’ vehicle. Both vehicles were moved to the side of the road, according to reports.

Messer was taken to FirstHealth Richmond Memorial Hospital.

He was also cited with a failure to reduce speed citation.

Damage to Casarrubias’ 2009 Honda was estimated at $2,000 and the damage to Messer’s 1996 Honda was estimated at $1,000.

n On Oct. 17 at 11 p.m. on Silver Grove Church Road, Jeffrey Dexter Smith, 32, Motlow Lane, Rockingham, was involved in an accident after losing control of his vehicle, veering off the right side of the road, overcorrected the vehicle and than veered off the left side of the road -hitting a cedar fence, a small tree and lastly, a large tree, according to trooper reports.

Smith was taken to FHRMH for injuries.

He was cited with driving while intoxicated and careless and reckless driving.

Damage to his 1998 GMC is estimated at $8,000. The damage dealt to the fence is estimated at $1,000.

n At 3:29 p.m. on Oct. 16 on Wiregrass Road, Dequan Keon Malloy, 16, Fieldcrest Lane, Hamlet, Trey Elliott Allen, 16, Hill Street, Hamlet, and Melissa Renea Rainwater, 17, Bel Air Street, Hamlet, were involved in an accident when Rainwater and Allen were stopped in traffic and Malloy failed to reduce speed and struck Allen. Allen’s vehicle was knocked into the rear of Rainwater’s vehicle, according to reports from the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Malloy was cited with failure to reduce speed.

Damage to Malloy’s 1995 Hyundai was estimated at $2,000. Damage to Allen’s 2000 Chrysler was estimated at $1,000 and Rainwater’s 2001 Ford received $950 in damages.

n On Oct. 15 at 7:35 p.m. on Sandy Ridge Church Road, Vickie Leaann Cooke, 20, Carlisle Drive, Ellerbe, was involved in an accident after she skidded out of control on slick conditions in a curve. She ran off the road and struck a bridge railing, according to reports.

She said that she had swerved to avoid hitting a deer in the roadway.

She was cited with a lane control violation.

Damage to her 2002 Dodge was estimated at $5,000.

n On Oct. 15 at 2:06 a.m. on 4th Avenue Aleo, Sharon Dick Young, 47, Cross Bones Road, Supply, was traveling southeast on 4th Avenue when she ran off the road and struck the embankment, than hit a sign and overturned in the parking lot of a local business, according to reports from the Highway Patrol.

She was cited with failure to maintain lane control and exceeded a safe speed.

Damage to her 2004 Jeep was estimated at $5,000.

Arrests reported by the Hamlet Police include:

n William Carson Quick, 54, Morgan Circle, Hamlet, was arrested for misdemeanor shoplifting and misdemeanor larceny. His bond was set at $500.

n Kenneth James Harrington, 46, Wilmington Street, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny. His bond was set at $1,000.

Incidents reported by the Hamlet Police include:

n A homeowner on Thomas Street reported two windows on the front of their home being smashed while sleeping. Damage is estimated at $400.

n Two rocking chairs and a wooden swing were stolen from the front porch of a home on Champlain Street.

n A home on Crestwood Drive was broken into and walls and doors damaged. Nearly $700 in damages was reported.

n A business on Cheraw Highway reported the theft of two cans of beer.

Staff writer Bryan Stewart can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15, or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com