Wednesday morning was a sad time for the members of the close knit community in Monroe, North Carolina. A Union County Sherriff’s deputy was killed in a freak accident involving a tractor-trailer early morning around 7:30 am. The site of the accident was the Highway 74 near South Sutherland Avenue.
The fatal accident took place right outside the Carolinas Medical Center―Union where a tractor-trailer rolled over and fell on top of the deputy’s patrol cruiser. According to the truck accident attorneys in Monroe, the deputy’s car was stopped in the turn lane when the accident happened. The deceased Sherriff’s deputy was later identified as 54 year old Sergeant Jeffrey Wayne Greene.
The local authorities have booked the driver of the tractor trailer―Eddie Ray Weeks of Weeks Trucking, of a misdemeanor death by vehicle. Weeks Trucking operates out of Fayetteville in North Carolina. The trucker also suffered injuries in the freak accident and was treated at a local hospital before being taken to Union County Jail.
First ever Union County Deputy to be Killed on the Job
Sgt. Jeffrey Greene is the first ever Union County Deputy to be killed on the job. Truck accident attorneys say that Greene was stopped in a turn lane waiting to turn onto Sutherland Hospital heading towards the hospital at the time of the crash. Next to his patrol cruiser was a driver in a Kia, and a tanker truck. Eddie Weeks who was driving his tractor trailer failed to stop his semi in time as he approached the traffic light where the deputy’s car was idling, and his actions cost the 54 year old policeman his life.
Eye witnesses say that Weeks could not stop his vehicle in time and he then jackknifed, which caused the truck and trailer to fall over and crush Deputy Greene’s car.
Driver had Five Prior Citations
Investigators have also found that Weeks, who has had his commercial motor vehicle license for two decades now, has five citations to his name. Though his license has never been revoked, he has been involved in three crashes in his 20 year driving career. His last accident happened sometime last year, also in Union County on the same Highway 74 where Deputy Greene was killed.
Weeks was charged with failure to drive his vehicle properly and reducing the speed causing a fatal accident. But these charges ended up being thrown out of the court by the DA’s attorneys. The misdemeanor charge is the only charge that has stuck.
Flags Fly at Half-Staff
The Union County Sherriff’s office flew its flags at half-staff in honor of the member of the force who lost his life. Deputies at the Sherriff’s office were heartbroken when they heard about Greene’s death. They said that he was an important member of the force and a beloved person in the community. Greene had an important role in the office―he was the person in charge of sex offenses in the Monroe area and colleagues say he was deeply dedicated to his work. Deputy Greene is survived by his wife, two daughters, and five grandchildren.
When you are involved in a truck accident, filing a claim is a bit more complicated than it would otherwise be in a non-commercial incident. This is because injuries and damages are more severe, requiring a complete understanding of litigation tactics to receive adequate compensation from insurance companies. Learn more at