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12:48 a.m. • 6-18-13

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Published: 2012-01-04 11:12:00
Updated: 2012-01-04 14:26:21

Police: Other driver in Rep. Womble wreck was drunk


Larry Womble
Larry Womble
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The second driver in a head-on collision last month that critically injured state Rep. Larry Womble had almost four times the alcohol in his system at which drivers are considered impaired, police said Wednesday.

Womble, D-Forsyth, and David Allen Carmichael collided on Reynolds Park Road on Dec. 2. Carmichael, 54, of 2767 Reynolds Park Road, was killed in the wreck.

Toxicology tests showed that Carmichael's blood-alcohol content was 0.29, police said. Under North Carolina law, a driver is considered impaired with a 0.08 blood-alcohol content.

Blood tests on Womble showed no intoxicants in his system, police said.

Police still haven't determined who was at fault in the wreck, which remains under investigation.

Womble has undergone at least two surgeries since the crash and is still recovering.

He has represented Forsyth County in the General Assembly since 1995. Before that, the retired teacher and principal served on the Winston-Salem Board of Aldermen from 1981 to 1993.

During his nine terms in the legislature, Womble has advocated for compensation for victims of the state's eugenics program during the 20th century. He also was the primary sponsor of the Racial Justice Act, which allows death row inmates to use racial statistics to show bias in sentencing.


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I PERSONALLY KNOW LARRY WOMBLE. AND HAVE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF FRIENDS THAT CARMICHAEL DID NOT DRINK. SO I SAY IT IS A SWITCHER ROO. TO PROTECT WOMBLES WHATEVER. I KNOW A COUPLE OF TIMES AROUND LARRY YOU COULD SMELL ALCOHOL ON HIS BREATH. BUT LETS LOOK AT THE FACTS. SEVERAL WITNESSES SAID CARMICHEAL DID NOT DRIVE UNUSAL. HE WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AND NORMAL. THESE SAME AT LEAST 3 WITNESSES SAID THEY HAD TO MOVE OUT OF WOMBLES WAY TO KEEP HIM FROM HITTING THEM. SO WOMBLE SOBER DRIVES LIKE HE HAD 3 TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT IN HIM. AND CARMICHAEL WITH 3 TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT DRIVES STRAIGHT AND NORMAL. ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE. CAN WE SAY COVER UP. WHY MESS UP CARMICHAELS REPUTATION AND AN INNOCENT MANS AND PROTECT A GUILTY MANS. THE WINSTON-SALEM POLICE DEPT. HAS A REALLY BAD HABIT OF DOING THAT. THEY FRAME A GUY AND YEARS LATER HE IS FOUND TO BE INNOCENT. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY FRAMED ANOTHER GUY FOR A CRIME WITH NO PROOF. SILK FOREST. AND SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN. SAD.

The initial police report stated Womble who is 70 years old crossed the center line of a street and collided head-on with Carmichael's vehicle. Had he not done that perhaps David Carmichael who had a blood alcohol content of 0.29 percent would have not been killed in the wreck Dec 2. To me I would say Womble is at fault for this wreck. But he is a politician and they do no wrong.

I may be wrong but both T V channel reported that Mr.Womble crossed the center line not Mr. Carmicheal . But he is not here to defend himself nor is he not in politics .

"And the state of NC is still selling alchol which causes many death and injuries lets charge the state with comtributing to this crime sunshine1040"

I totally agree. We should be able to buy our booze in the market 24/7 as people can do in normal places.

(Fact 1) Possibly irrelevent

(Fact 2) Generally true, but not always. It appears at this time that he was at least in his lane.

(Fact 3) I'll concede.

(Fact 4) Irrelevent to Mr. Womble's case.

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