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Posted: July 8, 2008

Franklinton fighting fatal crash lawsuit

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Linsay and Maggie Lunsford

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Linsay and Maggie Lunsford

Franklinton, N.C. — The town of Franklinton has decided to fight a lawsuit filed on behalf of two Granville County sisters who died after they were hit by a chase suspect.

Clinton and Mary Ann Lunsford are claiming gross negligence on the part of Officer Michael Dunlap, as well as Franklinton Police Lt. John Green, Chief Ray Gilliam and the town of Franklinton.

The Lunsfords' daughters, Linsay, 18, and Maggie, 9, died Dec. 1, after Guy Christopher Ayscue fled from Dunlap and crashed his car head-on into theirs, the state Highway Patrol said.

Franklinton's attorney said the town is not liable for the their deaths.

The town is also trying to get the lawsuit transferred to Franklin County.

RELATED TOPICS: Granville County, Franklin County

Copyright 2011 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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33 Comments


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Latest Comments
Anyone who would blame the police for this instead of the criminal are part of the problem. Criminals want these people on the jury to vote their way. These peole are at fault for the way society is because they empower the evildoer.
lizard
July 9, 2008 9:32 p.m.
I hope the city fights this thing all the way to the Supreme Court...
leo-nc
July 9, 2008 7:09 p.m.
It would be nice if some of you people would put as much time in encouraging and changing our legal system as to keep criminals in jail instead of trying to limit the ability of those who put them there in the first place. If you could hate criminals as much as you hate the police, then something might be done. sad...
leo-nc
July 9, 2008 7:05 p.m.
"...but was the officer a town cop, a county deputy??? Was he out of his jurisdiction? Should it have been taken over by Highway Patrol, or Granville County deputies instead of the Franklin County officer being 15 - 20 miles out of his area?"...

You're right. The officer can chase all the way to Murphy from Franklinton as long as he doesn't pause the chase and then re-engage. This is state law. I hope nothing ever happens to me in a chase, so I can be chastised, scorned and treated like scum by the public, only because of doing my job.. At the same time, no one really ever speaking of the criminal who actually caused all of it.
leo-nc
July 9, 2008 6:55 p.m.
Ayscue started the chase and Ayscue could have ended it anytime by stopping...Agreed, but this person had been in the criminal justice system for a LONG time, and although his apprehension should not have comee down to this, it did, and with tragic consequences. Could not this officer and his superiors have apprehended this KNOWN offender at his residence? Or does he live in his car at all times and never run out of gas????????!!!!!!!!!!
fbguru
July 9, 2008 4:39 p.m.
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