AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An all-new I-Workforce investigation exhibits the truck driver at fault in a lethal incident should really not have been powering the wheel in the initially area.
Shirley Morris died in a crash on Appling-Harlem Road back in July, but we have uncovered new details that reveals, months afterwards, the accident has claimed a next lifetime.
The I-Workforce has also verified the driver is nevertheless driving vehicles.
You in no way know when the last Xmas spent with your beloved types will be your liked ones’ incredibly very last Xmas. The Morris relatives definitely never expected they would be celebrating this calendar year without the need of two pretty significant loved ones members.
Daryl Morris remembers that fateful day they were driving to Thomson.
“They was gonna place bouquets on my brother’s grave – on my brother’s graveside,” he claimed.
They by no means designed it. Shirley hardly ever actually woke up following the crash on June 21, 2022, but her family in no way remaining her side in the clinic. Her spouse, who was also harm in the crash, visited when he could.
“When he began conversing to her, tears began welling up in her eyes,” recalled Jana Morris, Shirley’s daughter-in-legislation. “So, we realized, she understood he was there.”
When the conclude was around, she arrived house on hospice, so she could go household in peace.
On the day of the accident, she was heading to the cemetery where her son is buried. Derrick died at just four a long time old in 1975 of leukemia.
“When she died, I explained to her…I stated, ‘Go. He’s waiting…’ “shared Cathy Morris Thurmond. “We’re alongside one another. We’ll be fantastic. We’ll acquire care of daddy. Which we tried using to.”
10 times right after Shirley’s loss of life, Harlem police manufactured an arrest.
Christina Richardson was billed with homicide by vehicle, pursuing too intently, driving with an expired license, driving without having a license, and functioning an unregistered car or truck.
The I-Crew found that the car belongs to J.S. Rowe. We also located it is not Richardson’s 1st time finding arrested for driving an unregistered motor vehicle or expired tag. She also got a ticket for it final December in a Kenworth T880. That kind of truck needs a CDL or professional driver’s license.
The ticket does not identify a corporation, but the I-Crew uncovered it days afterwards, Richardson posted to TikTok. The caption posted with the clip reads: “When DOT says I can’t run my new truck wid out DOT #”s & Enterprise title.”
She shares photographs of regulation enforcement pulling her around in her truck. One more photo displays the words “J. S. Rowe” composed on the facet of the truck in what appears to be a marker.
That’s not all.
We discovered a further ticket from that pretty identical quit for “Unlawful Use Of Wi-fi Unit in CMV (commercial car). We’re not absolutely sure what Richardson was accomplishing with her cell phone to earn this ticket, but the I-Staff found lots of examples wherever it appears she takes advantage of her telephone to just take video clips of other trucks even though driving on her TikTok page.
We also uncovered movies she posted of terrible climate that seem to be recorded as she was driving. There are also video clips posted of her driving that look to be recorded by…her.
The Fingers-Free of charge Ga Act took outcome on July 1, 2018. It reads in aspect “a driver are not able to have their mobile mobile phone in their fingers or on any aspect of their body” while driving.
In a further clip Richardson posted, we observed she ducks down in her seat even though the truck’s even now relocating. In but yet another a single posted the exact day, it appears to be like like she retains her eyes on her cellphone, not the highway.
Both clips are dated August 24, 2022. Which is soon after she was arrested for resulting in Shirley’s loss of life.
We even observed back again in 2020, it appeared Richardson named her truck “The Neckbreaker.” The I-Team did not just test social media to see if Richardson was nonetheless driving immediately after her arrest we also checked the roadways.
On August 2, 2022, it didn’t choose extensive to locate her behind the wheel. The most significant verify, on the other hand, came when we started investigating Richardson’s driving file.
Not even counting the expenses connected to her most recent arrest, the I-Workforce attained copies of 12 tickets and a single warning. We checked, and she racked up fines for these tickets. Court files and receipts display the hundreds she experienced to spend in fines.
We found she was cited in 2020 for jogging a stop sign in her truck. She was ticketed in 2017 for not keeping her truck in the two proper lanes. Her warning is for not properly securing the load on her truck and for rushing. In full, we counted 7 tickets for rushing.
According to the Georgia Division of Driver Providers (DDS), her commercial license is now existing. Considering the fact that she was billed with owning an expired license in July, it seems it was renewed just after the fatal accident. The I-Crew required to know, how is Richardson however driving a professional truck?
In accordance to Ga regulation, a driver can get rid of his or her CDL either briefly or for lifestyle if convicted of a key traffic violation such as homicide by auto, if it is a felony charge. Appropriate now, Richardson is facing 1 misdemeanor charge. In accordance to Clayton Morris’ loss of life certification, a next vehicular homicide charge could be on the way.
Shirley’s spouse Clayton died on Oct 1, 2022. Which is 78 times just after his wife. His loss of life certificate lists a traumatic brain harm from an accident on Appling-Harlem Highway on June 21st as the trigger.
He was 87 many years younger, just like his wife. “87 going on 16,” Jana laughed. “Always on the street. Normally likely somewhere.”
She mentioned both of those Shirley and Clayton experienced a lot of existence remaining to dwell.
Daryl Morris also remembered fondly, “Every Saturday night time, they’d go to an auction somewhere.” Clayton played the banjo his complete daily life, and he even had his possess band named “CD Morris and the Southern Bluegrass Boys.”
He served on the Harlem Metropolis Council for 26 yrs and was one of the founding fathers of the Oliver Hardy Competition. He also served as a father figure to countless young ones on his Small League Teams.
Shirley was a trainer for many years, so she served increase countless young ones in Harlem more than the decades, but her favorite time of yr was when she could shower her loved ones with presents at Christmas.
“Her record would start off the working day right after Christmas all in excess of all over again,” laughed Daryl. That record grew each and every yr. It now includes 8 grandkids and 6 fantastic-grands. This 12 months, the gifts on these lists may well indicate far more than they ever have before.
“When we had been going as a result of her area back again there, even in July,” Jana reported, “there ended up already presents that were being wrapped.”
People provides will conclusion up under the tree this calendar year and will have to be unwrapped without having the existence of Shirley and Clayton Morris.
They had been the best gifts of all to the Morris family. The Morris family is suing Richardson and J. S. Rowe.
They filed in November. When our I-Group did some examining, we also uncovered two other lawsuits at the moment pending versus J. S. Rowe. Both also offer with incidents.
Having said that, they involve various mishaps involving distinctive motorists. Our I-Group also reached out to J.S. Rowe by cell phone and to Richardson by social media, but we have not read again nonetheless.
We will preserve you posted if we listen to from them and invite them to share their side.
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