What we’ve learned about truck driver in deadly crash

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An all-new I-Crew investigation displays the truck driver at fault in a lethal accident really should not have been driving the wheel in the very first location.

Shirley Morris died in a crash on Appling-Harlem Road back in July, but we have uncovered new information and facts that reveals, months later, the incident has claimed a second life.

The I-Workforce has also confirmed the driver is however driving vehicles.

You never know when the past Xmas used with your loved ones will be your beloved ones’ really past Christmas. The Morris family members certainly by no means predicted they would be celebrating this 12 months with no two pretty important loved ones users.

Daryl Morris remembers that fateful day they have been driving to Thomson.

“They was gonna set bouquets on my brother’s grave – on my brother’s graveside,” he stated.

They never designed it. Shirley by no means actually woke up after the crash on June 21, 2022, but her relatives hardly ever left her facet in the clinic. Her spouse, who was also hurt in the crash, visited when he could.

“When he commenced talking to her, tears began welling up in her eyes,” recalled Jana Morris, Shirley’s daughter-in-law. “So, we understood, she realized he was there.”

When the conclude was close to, she arrived house on hospice, so she could go household in peace.

On the day of the incident, she was heading to the cemetery the place her son is buried. Derrick died at just 4 several years previous in 1975 of leukemia.

“When she died, I advised her…I reported, ‘Go. He’s waiting…’ “shared Cathy Morris Thurmond. “We’re alongside one another. We’ll be good. We’ll consider treatment of daddy. Which we experimented with to.”

Ten days after Shirley’s dying, Harlem law enforcement created an arrest.

Christina Richardson was billed with murder by car or truck, next way too intently, driving with an expired license, driving without a license, and working an unregistered vehicle.

The I-Team identified that the vehicle belongs to J.S. Rowe. We also discovered it is not Richardson’s first time getting arrested for driving an unregistered car or truck or expired tag. She also received a ticket for it very last December in a Kenworth T880. That variety of truck requires a CDL or industrial driver’s license.

The ticket does not name a firm, but the I-Team uncovered it times afterwards, Richardson posted to TikTok. The caption posted with the clip reads: “When DOT claims I can’t operate my new truck wid out DOT #”s & Business identify.”

She shares images of law enforcement pulling her about in her truck. A further photo shows the words and phrases “J. S. Rowe” composed on the facet of the truck in what appears to be a marker.

Which is not all.

We discovered a different ticket from that incredibly exact same end for “Unlawful Use Of Wi-fi Gadget in CMV (commercial automobile). We’re not certain what Richardson was carrying out with her mobile phone to receive this ticket, but the I-Team uncovered a lot of illustrations where it seems she employs her cellular phone to take videos of other trucks while driving on her TikTok webpage.

We also observed video clips she posted of bad temperature that look to be recorded as she was driving. There are also movies posted of her driving that show up to be recorded by…her.

The Hands-Cost-free Ga Act took outcome on July 1, 2018. It reads in element “a driver are unable to have their mobile cellphone in their arms or on any part of their body” although driving.

In an additional clip Richardson posted, we located she ducks down in her seat whilst the truck’s nevertheless shifting. In but yet another one posted the very same day, it seems like she keeps her eyes on her cellphone, not the highway.

Equally clips are dated August 24, 2022. That’s immediately after she was arrested for triggering Shirley’s demise.

We even discovered again in 2020, it appeared Richardson named her truck “The Neckbreaker.” The I-Staff did not just check out social media to see if Richardson was however driving right after her arrest we also checked the roadways.

On August 2, 2022, it didn’t consider long to come across her behind the wheel. The most crucial check out, on the other hand, arrived when we started out investigating Richardson’s driving file.

Not even counting the charges linked to her most up-to-date arrest, the I-Group obtained copies of 12 tickets and 1 warning. We checked, and she racked up fines for these tickets. Courtroom files and receipts clearly show the hundreds she had to shell out in fines.

We found she was cited in 2020 for functioning a quit indication in her truck. She was ticketed in 2017 for not retaining her truck in the two appropriate lanes. Her warning is for not effectively securing the load on her truck and for dashing. In complete, we counted 7 tickets for speeding.

In accordance to the Ga Department of Driver Providers (DDS), her business license is now recent. Considering the fact that she was charged with getting an expired license in July, it seems it was renewed following the lethal incident. The I-Staff preferred to know, how is Richardson nevertheless driving a business truck?

In accordance to Ga law, a driver can shed his or her CDL both briefly or for everyday living if convicted of a main targeted traffic violation such as murder by car or truck, if it is a felony demand. Suitable now, Richardson is dealing with just one misdemeanor charge. According to Clayton Morris’ loss of life certification, a next vehicular murder demand could be on the way.

Shirley’s partner Clayton died on October 1, 2022. That’s 78 times after his spouse. His death certificate lists a traumatic mind damage from an accident on Appling-Harlem Street on June 21st as the lead to.

He was 87 several years youthful, just like his spouse. “87 likely on 16,” Jana laughed. “Always on the highway. Often likely someplace.”

She mentioned the two Shirley and Clayton had a ton of life remaining to stay.

Daryl Morris also remembered fondly, “Every Saturday evening, they’d go to an auction somewhere.” Clayton played the banjo his complete life, and he even experienced his personal band named “CD Morris and the Southern Bluegrass Boys.”

He served on the Harlem Town Council for 26 several years and was just one of the founding fathers of the Oliver Hardy Festival. He also served as a father determine to countless children on his Little League Groups.

Shirley was a instructor for decades, so she assisted increase innumerable kids in Harlem above the several years, but her favored time of 12 months was when she could shower her family with presents at Xmas.

“Her checklist would begin the working day soon after Christmas all about once more,” laughed Daryl. That record grew just about every year. It now involves 8 grandkids and 6 wonderful-grands. This year, the presents on those lists may well necessarily mean extra than they ever have before.

“When we have been heading by means of her area back again there, even in July,” Jana claimed, “there ended up presently provides that were wrapped.”

These offers will stop up less than the tree this calendar year and will have to be unwrapped without the presence of Shirley and Clayton Morris.

They have been the finest gifts of all to the Morris family members. The Morris household is suing Richardson and J. S. Rowe.

They filed in November. When our I-Workforce did some examining, we also found two other lawsuits now pending against J. S. Rowe. Equally also deal with accidents.

Nonetheless, they involve diverse mishaps involving unique drivers. Our I-Team also arrived at out to J.S. Rowe by cellphone and to Richardson by social media, but we have not heard back again however.

We will keep you posted if we hear from them and invite them to share their facet.

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