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Faulty accelerator blamed for multi-car wreck at Walmart
by Doug Clark
Jan 28, 2010 | 1971 views | 5 5 comments | 9 9 recommendations | email to a friend | print
An 87-year-old Newton Grove man, who claims his accelerator was stuck, caused a collision Sunday afternoon that involved five other vehicles and brought two fire trucks and three rescue units to the Walmart parking lot.

According to reports from the Clinton Police Department, Paul Wooten, 87, of 381 Roanoke Road, Newton Grove, finished shopping at Walmart, located in the Sampson Crossing Shopping Center on Sunset Avenue in Clinton, and got into his 2001 Ford truck with his wife.

Wooten, reports show, said when he put his truck in drive, it rammed five vehicles causing upwards of $16,000 in damages and leaving two vehicles in need of a tow.

Wooten, who told police he had an accelerato problem and he “couldn’t get the vehicle to stop” was not charged in the incident. He was declared responsible for the damage to the vehicles.

Damage was done to Tina Edge’s 2004 Chrysler ($3,000); Joy Everette’s 2009 Toyota ($5,000) which was towed from the scene; Andrea Williams’ 2008 Nissan ($4,500); Nicole Boyd’s 2002 Ford ($4,000) which was also towed from the scene; and Eric Carvajal’s 2000 Volkswagen ($1,500).

Boyd’s wife, Emma, was the only reported injury in the incident. Reports show that she was taken to Sampson Regional Medical Center and treated and released with minor injuries.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com.
Comments
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lafus_crickamus2
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January 28, 2010
I can assure you I have said several unkind words to stupid people over the past thirty years. Believe me, it's not hard. Anyway, how do we know it was a faulty accelerator? Because he said so? He hit five parked cars. I think the car should have been taken into a garage and inspected. There have been too many cases where an elderly driver was the root cause of a traffic accident.

To angels03,

You stated, "Maybe if we would put ourselves in others shoes we would not speak so quickly or harshly". I don't have to put myself in his shoes or anyone else's. If I feel I can't get on the road and drive safely without being a hazard to other drivers, I'll take myself out of the equation. I'm not going to live in denial like Paul Wooten and hope I don't kill someone. He's just lucky he wasn't on the highway when his supposedly "faulty accelerator" decided to take a dump. There would have been more than just damaged cars.

amom
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January 28, 2010
Ignorant people say ignorant things.
angels03
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January 28, 2010
We should be reminded that this could happen to any of us or our family members no matter the age. We all have accidents that we have no control over. More than anything I am thankful that noone was seriously injured. Since I have known him personally for 40 years I can assure you he has never as much as spoken an unkind word towards anyone in my presence. Maybe if we would put ourselves in others shoes we would not speak so quickly or harshly.
trusting
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January 28, 2010
You know, it's sad when people that age have to drive. They tend to look one way, "their way" while driving. True danger all the time. I wish some would do like my grandma, when she felt like she didn't need to drive anymore, send those license in. Between teenagers not giving a ???? and old folk out there, it's a wonder that there aren't worse accidents every day. Yeah, accelerator stuck, right. Probably foot stuck to accelerator is more like it. Well if he was driving a Toyota, he might have a legitmate excuse
lafus_crickamus2
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January 28, 2010
Give me a break!! It wasn't a faulty accelerator that cause this mess. The problem was the driver being 87 years old and had no business driving. I've seen enough elderly drivers involved in accidents that screams incompetent and dangerous. There again, if I was one of the drivers this old fossil hit, I would have cut up his license in front of the police. It would be worth a ticket or a trip to jail. We need to stop being afraid of the AARP and start screening out this old drivers.
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