Driver Accused in Fatal Accident Had Seven License Suspensions in Fewer Than Three Years

A driver accused of fatally hitting a pedestrian had an extensive list of past traffic infractions, the Lewiston Sun-Journal reported Aug. 7. Brandon Earl Pelletier, 19, of Turner, is accused of hitting Sharon B. Call, 65, of Turner as she walked to a relative’s mailbox. According to an accident report by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department, Call was walking to the mailbox at 9:45 a.m. when Pelletier approached at an unsafe rate of speed. He is accused of hitting Call, then skidding down an embankment and into a field.

Research by the Sun-Journal shows that Pelletier has been in trouble for traffic offenses many times in his short driving career. Since he received his license in December of 2006, it has been suspended seven times — it was restored most recently in April. His record also includes three convictions for speeding; two for running a stop sign; and one for illegal transport of liquor. He has also been convicted twice for operating with a suspended license and once for failing to produce evidence of insurance, along with more minor offenses. No charges are currently pending in connection with the current accident, but the accident report said unsafe speed was a primary contributor to the accident, along with tire failure as a secondary contributor.

Of course, a spotted past doesn’t guarantee that a driver will be involved in a serious accident later. But as a Bangor, Maine car crash lawyer, I know that such drivers are statistically correlated with fatal accidents. According to statistics from the federal Department of Transportation, 40% of those involved in fatal accidents with speeding in 2007 were also legally drunk (with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher). In the same year, about 40% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had previous license suspensions, crashes or convictions for OUI/DUI, speeding or another serious moving violation. When a driver has multiple previous offenses, it’s not hard to guess that he or she might be an unsafe driver. These offenses could be powerful evidence for the driver’s liability in any Maine car wreck lawsuit that victims and their loved ones choose to file.

The law office of Peter Thompson & Associates represents people who have been seriously harmed by someone else’s negligence — the legal term for extreme carelessness. That includes the carelessness of drivers who break the law or fail to take normal precautions on Maine roads. Car, truck and motorcycle accidents kill hundreds of Mainers every year and injure thousands more, leaving some with disabilities that will change their lives and the lives of their loved ones forever. Our Portland, Maine auto accident attorneys help these victims and their families recover the money they need to pay for accident-related medical treatment, now and in the future; replace an income lost because of the injury; and be fairly compensated for their injuries, physical pain and suffering. No lawsuit can reverse the accident, unfortunately, but we work our hardest to help clients get the money they need to recover physically and financially and get back on their feet as much as possible.

If you or a loved one was hurt by someone else’s bad choices behind the wheel and you’d like to learn more, you should contact Peter Thompson & Associates today. To set up a no-charge, no-obligation consultation, please contact us online or call us toll-free at 1-800-804-2004/

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