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Appeals Court revives lawsuit against Highway Patrol trooper who caused fatal crash

The North Carolina Court of Appeals will allow the mother of an East Carolina University student killed in a 2020 car crash to pursue a lawsuit against the State Highway Patrol trooper who caused the accident. The 2-1 Appeals Court decision Tuesday reversed a trial judge’s ruling  favoring Trooper Omar Romero Mendoza.

CJ Staff
News

Court Rules on Suing Localities

RALEIGH — The N.C. Court of Appeals has clarified the conditions under which a local government can be sued. The ruling comes in the case of a Greensboro man who was injured while being transported in the back of a police car. In December 1994, Officer T. H. Branson of the Greensboro Police Department was transporting John Clayton from Clayton’s house to the city magistrate’s office. Clayton was not wearing a seat belt when Branson maneuvered the car aggressively to avoid a collision while driving well over the posted speed limit. Clayton hit the metal screen and was injured. He subsequently had three back operations and continues to suffer significant back pain.

Michael Lowrey

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