Not Guilty In Leaving The Scene Of An Accident With A Death

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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334-790-1729
Date: Jan 13 2022 11:05 PM

DOTHAN - HOUSTON COUNTY:     Today in the 20th Judicial Circuit Court of Houston County, a jury of 12 returned a not guilty verdict.

The Not Guilty verdict was in the case of State of Alabama verses Latasha Renea Williams who was represented by Defense Attorney Shaun McGhee.

Williams was arrested on October 26, 2017 for Leaving The Scene of An Accident With Injuries or Death on October 24, 2017.

Williams was traveling on North Range Street near Tuskegee Street on October 24, 2017. It was dark. According to testimony she heard something “hit” the side of her car but she thought it was a basketball or something. In the area she was afraid to stop and continued home.

Dothan Police, Dothan Fire, Pilcher Ambulance responded. The victim was transported to Southeast Health under a trauma alert where he died shortly after arrival.

Later that night Williams learned, by the way of the news, that a person was struck on North Range as pedestrian struck by a vehicle and the person died. The vehicle left the scene of the accident. Dothan Police CRASH TEAM was investigating.

Williams became distraught, realizing what she thought was a ball or some object that struck her vehicle was actually a person. She contacted her deacon and discussed it, and opened the phone book the next morning and called Attorney Shaun McGhee.

McGhee carried her to the Dothan Police Department. The police did not come to Williams or know Williams was the one who struck the pedestrian. Williams and Attorney Shaun McGhee contacted Dothan Police and met with them.

Williams was arrested and made bond by A-Advantage Bonding. 

On September 25, 2019, Defense Attorney Shaun McGhee presented the case before a jury of 12 in the 20th Judicial Circuit Court of Houston County. The trial was declared a mistrial by Circuit Court Judge Butch Binford when the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

COVID has prevented this case being tried until this week. The case was tried before a jury of 12 in Houston County. And the jury returned a unanimous verdict of Not Guilty.

The State of Alabama presented what case they had And presented it well.

The defendant, Latasha Renea Williams took the stand in her own defense. And still today, five years later, Williams is very emotional over what happened and it is real emotions, of which the jury could see. The jury saw she had no intent to strike anyone, did not see anyone in the road, did not realize she struck anyone, and when she did Williams did the right thing.

Attorney Shaun McGhee is the lead attorney in The McGhee Law Firm on South Oates Street in Dothan.

CODE OF ALABAMA 32-10-001

Section 32-10-1

Duties of driver involved in motor vehicle accident; removal of vehicle from roadway.

(a) The driver of any motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or the death of any person, or in damage to a motor vehicle or other vehicle which is driven or attended by any person, shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible and shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of Section 32-10-2. Every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary. 

(b) If the accident does not involve any apparent injury or the death of a person and the driver is not impaired, the driver may immediately move the vehicle from the roadway to the shoulder, emergency lane, median, or other location close to the accident site if the vehicle is drivable and can be safely moved from the roadway and shall forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at or as close to the scene of the accident as safely possible.

(c) Employees of the Alabama Department of Transportation or the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency may move a vehicle, require a vehicle to be moved by the driver or with the assistance of a towing or recovery vehicle, or assist in the moving of a vehicle from a roadway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation if the vehicle is disabled as a result of an accident, the disabled vehicle creates a traffic hazard or is obstructing traffic. A vehicle involved in an accident with injury to or death of any person may not be moved until directed by a law enforcement officer.

(d) This section does not relieve a driver from complying with any other duties imposed in this chapter.

(e) The Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency shall not be liable for damages caused by moving a vehicle pursuant to this section.

(f) Section 36-1-12 shall apply to employees of the Department of Transportation and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency relating to any claim resulting from the exercise of authority under this section.

(g) The director shall revoke the driver's license of a person convicted under this section.

(Acts 1943, No. 558, p. 548, §2; Act 2017-376, §1.)

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