Fed Ex Driver Found Guilty

On 11/11/09 at approximately 3:09 pm, Nancy Quimby was traveling home after teaching at the Queen Anne's County High School. While she was operating her 2002 Toyota Camry through the intersection of Poplar School Road and Grange Hall Road, she was struck in the driver side door by a 2007 Dodge Sprinter Van operated by Samuel Wallace. The 2007 Dodge Van was a FedEx delivery van owned by SFP Delivery Service Inc. It was reported that the driver of the Dodge Van was on route to an address on Centreville Road in Centreville, MD to drop off his last package of the day.

At the time of impact, the 2002 Toyota was partially through the intersection when it was struck in the driver side door front and rear door. The impact caused the vehicle to rotate to a position of final rest in a ditch located on the south side of Grange Hall Road. The Dodge Van then continued to a controlled stop more than one hundred and eighty feet into a field on the south side of Grange Hall Road.

Evidence left on the roadway from the Dodge Van indicated that as the driver applied the brakes and the tires began to skid on the pavement prior to impact, through impact and then into the field before the vehicle was driven to a controlled stop.

Cpl Sean Hampton, a member of the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office Crash Reconstruction Unit, performed a crash reconstruction on the incident and found that the 2007 Dodge Van was traveling at a minimum speed of 52 mph in a 40 mph zone. During the reconstruction of the crash, the benefit of the doubt was given to driver of the 2007 Dodge Van at all levels of the investigation and throughout all the mathematical equations.

After the conclusion of the investigation, charges were filed against Samuel Wallace for; failing to control speed to avoid a collision, speed greater than reasonable and operating while unrestrained by a safety belt.

On 02/01/10 at 1:30 pm, the case went to trial in District Court prosecuted by Assistant State's Attorney Michael A. Cuches. Much of the case hinged around the accident investigation. Cpl Sean Hampton was called to stand and recognized by Judge John T Clark as an expert witness. Hampton went through all the phases of the investigation and presented his findings to the court. After a lengthy trial, Judge John T Clark ruled that the defendant Samuel Wallace was guilty of operating the vehicle at a speed greater than reasonable and operating a vehicle while unrestrained by a safety belt. The defendant was found not guilty on the charge of failing to control speed to avoid a collision, since he made efforts to stop his vehicle prior to impact.