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Separate collisions mar pizza deliveries

By JAYNE HANSON
Today's News-Herald
Published Tuesday, March 2, 2010 11:06 PM MST

Two local pizza delivery drivers were cited after they were involved in two unrelated vehicle collisions Tuesday that injured two people.

The first collision occurred about 11:20 a.m., when Dennis Maxwell, 51, of Lake Havasu City, was traveling northbound on State Route 95 in his white 2000 Ford Focus station wagon. Maxwell was delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut when he reportedly rear-ended a vehicle, according to Lake Havasu City Police Sgt. Keith Huskisson. Patrician Adams, 67, also of Havasu, was stopped at a traffic light northbound at Swanson Avenue on State Route 95 in a 2008 Buick Lacrosse four-door sedan when Maxwell ran into the vehicle.

River Medical ambulance service arrived on scene and transported Adams to Havasu Regional Medical Center. Adams was complaining of neck pain before being taken to the hospital, police said.

Maxwell was cited for failure to control speed to avoid a collision as well as driving without mandatory insurance, Huskisson said.

The second accident occurred about 1:13 p.m. when19-year-old driver Paige A. Laven, of LHC, was traveling westbound in the 3100 block of South Palo Verde Boulevard in a 2001 silver Ford Focus. Laven was delivering pizzas for Papa John’s when she apparently pulled to the right side of the road.

According to eyewitness accounts, Laven then reportedly made a u-turn directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle when she was struck on the driver’s side of the vehicle driven by Chad Hurst, 46, also of Havasu, said Lake Havasu City Police Officer Joe Murdock.

Hurst was traveling westbound on South Palo Verde Boulevard in a 2001 white Chevy 1500 pickup truck when the collision occurred near the intersection of Gatewood Drive.

River Medical ambulance service arrived on scene and transported Laven to Havasu Regional Medical Center for a precautionary check-up because she is eight-months pregnant. Laven also complained of an arm injury sustained during the crash prior to being transported, police said.

Laven was cited for failure to yield to oncoming traffic.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.

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Comments (16 comment(s))

JM wrote on Mar 11, 2010 2:11 PM:

" Which still means the employer is liable, like i said..... "

getoverit wrote on Mar 11, 2010 7:15 AM:

" The sad thing is many people pay insurance month to month as I even do. You get a proof of insurance card to keep in your car which shows your valid for a few months in advance. BUT if you negelct to pay your insurance you will be cancelled right away but still have a card showing proof of insurance and think your fooling the system People don't realize the insurance company's turn that information over to mvd to post a change on the returns when for example you get into an accident or pulled over for something and your plate is run showing insurance cancelled and or even your DL will be suspended for no insurance which means an arrest and impound of your vehicle. Employees need to request a mvd report more often then at time of hire. "

JM wrote on Mar 10, 2010 4:00 PM:

" The delivery driver has put his employer at risk for a lawsuit It's their responsibility to ensure their drivers have valid insurance, in fact it's usually a requirement when being hired. If this franchise owner knew there was no insurance........... tsk tsk tsk, shame on them.

The same type of incident occurred about 5 years ago with another locally owned restaurant. Their delivery driver (no insurance) rear ended another vehicle. A couple years later, after a lengthy lawsuit, the restaurant settled for hundreds of thousands of dollars. "

getoverit wrote on Mar 10, 2010 8:22 AM:

" Im glad no one was really hurt here along I'm sure with the rest of us, but don't you think the mother to be should of been more careful driving in her condition? "

IamJustSaying wrote on Mar 9, 2010 11:17 AM:

" I am sure these drivers get paid horrible wages and they are working hard to do what all of us do...keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.

Glad to see the same old players in here pointing fingers and talking smack. Not one of you concerned enough to mention a worry about the 19y.o. who is 8 months pregnant.

Here is to wishing all involved a speedy recovery and return to work. I am Just Saying!!! "

LakeLizard wrote on Mar 8, 2010 12:04 PM:

" Hey hadit...Are you going to pay an extra 5-10 dollars for the pizza if they go along with your plan? "

had it with havasu wrote on Mar 7, 2010 10:07 AM:

" It is sad. Restaurants with delivery service are able to rely on employee owned transportation and employee provided liability insurance. For employees to expose themselves to risk is a great benefit for the employer, and in both these cases the employee has incurred substantial financial loss. It appears that both drivers did not apply adequate attention to their driving but it is my opinion that the restaurants need to do more to protect both their employees and the motoring public. They won't do anything because they feel that they are protected from liability. Wrong. If you're on the clock, the company you work for is liable. "

getoverit wrote on Mar 6, 2010 7:13 AM:

" Hey waste NB an myself post on here just as much as the rest of you. "

LHCwasteland wrote on Mar 5, 2010 8:53 AM:

" Ya northbound and getoverit- Some let it out more than others. Take a hint. "

BrightOne wrote on Mar 5, 2010 7:51 AM:

" Does workers comp pay for their injuries, since they were on the job? "

getoverit wrote on Mar 4, 2010 2:01 PM:

" wasteland cill out how would you feel if someone was really hurt? If you owend a company and had employees driving for you wouldn't you want to know if they had a suspended lic or would you just not care since they were using their own vehicles? I don't claim to be perfect but then I have a clean driving record with no accidents guess that just luck on my part. "

northbound wrote on Mar 4, 2010 1:45 PM:

" wasteland if the employeer were to check employee driving record every month or so they would now allow them to work with a suspended dl. And as far as bursting out words isnt't that something we all do? "

Hava-NY-er wrote on Mar 3, 2010 9:20 PM:

" Did they honor the "pizza is free if not delivered in 30 minutes" deal? "

LHCwasteland wrote on Mar 3, 2010 8:07 PM:

" To getoverit- I just can't believe how perfect you think you are. Accidents do happen. How do you know they didn't check driving records. Do you just burst out words without thinking like a person with bad gas? Sounds like it. Your killing me! "

getoverit wrote on Mar 3, 2010 9:49 AM:

" Businesses that run delivery service may wana ask employees for a driving record they can pick up at mvd to bring to work. Glad no one was hurt too bad. Pay your tickets or go to driving school which sounds like you both need. "

wisconsin wrote on Mar 3, 2010 1:08 AM:

" Sooo.....no pie for me tonight? Great reporting! "

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