Chesapeake (VA) may lower speed limit after bicyclist's death
Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 313
In the wake of the tragic death of bicyclist Charles F. McCarty Jr. in August, city officials in Chesapeake (VA) want to lower the speed limit on Johnstown Road, where McCarty was killed.
Eric Martin, director of Chesapeake's Department of Public Works, told The Virginian-Pilot that he would like to lower the speed limit from 45 to 40 miles an hour on Johnstown Road, as well as improve the street lights on the same stretch of road.
The fatal crash was one of many in Hampton Roads this year involving bicyclists. My colleague Rick Shapiro wrote about this case earlier this year.
McCarty, of the 1300 block of Fairhaven Road, died while riding his bicycle in the 900 block of Johnstown Road after he was struck by a woman subsequently charged with drunken driving. The woman, Sarah Magnolia Perry, left the scene of the accident but returned shortly afterwards.
Chesapeake’s city manager will decide whether to make the proposed improvements, WAVY-TV reported.
"I hope it goes through and they do take down the speed limit,” McCarty’s son, Chris Hendershott, told WAVY. “I think it'd be really cool to put just bike paths more in Chesapeake period."
A hearing in Perry's case is scheduled for Dec. 7 in Chesapeake General District Court, according to the Virginia Courts Case Information Web site. Perry, 21, lives in the 3000 block of Benefit Road in Chesapeake.
McCarty was a talented and well-known local musician, a member of the band Tidewater Drive and co-worship pastor – with his wife – at Hickory Ridge Community Church, the Pilot reported in September.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and we have experience handling wrongful death cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys have handled numerous wrongful death cases and we understand the difficult circumstances which accompany these types of cases. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.
(MM)