The entire state was shocked when a recent fire at Yemassee Fire Station was ruled to be arson rather than a spontaneous, accidently blaze. The revelation that the fire was created by two firemen was another blow. Now it’s been announced that the same two firefighters are believed to have started additional fires.

South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division announced that they are confident enough that both 22-year-old Christopher Williams and 21-year-old Dominique Thompson started deliberately set two more fires, that the former fighters have now been charged with multiple counts of 3^rd degree arson and 3^rd degree burglary.

Both young men had spent time as volunteer firefighters for Yemassee Fire Department and the Sheldon Fire District.

Based on the information listed in the warrants for the arrests of the former firefighters, it appears that Williams in particular was responsible for entering a mobile home with the consent of the property owners and starting a fire. Thompson was responsible for driving both men to the location.

It turns out that in at least some of the arson cases, the two men didn’t work alone. When they set fire to the Yemassee fire station and town hall, 2 people, a town clerk and Deandre Griffen were caught inside the building but managed to escape the blaze. Later, Griffin confessed that he’d had a hand in helping his two fellow firefighters start fires in other parts of the county. The pair is believed to have set fire to the local Family Doller.

Investigators were able to get to the bottom of the string of fires when Griffin decided to confess to his role in the crimes after becoming trapped in the fire house blaze.

“I guess (the other suspects) thought he would turn them in, so that’s when they tried to kill him,” stated Yemassee Fire Chief Paul Holmes said. “When he saw how serious they were, (Griffin) wanted to set the record straight.”

Despite the fact that Griffin had a hand in the arson cases, the fire chief didn’t seem to upset with the young man, who he believes was talked into assisting with the fires. He referred to Griffin as a dedicated volunteer and spoke of the time that Griffin dedicated to filing reports for the department.

The Yemmessee Police Captain feels that the young ex-firefighters started setting the blazes because they became addicted to the adrenaline rush they experienced whenever they responded to a call.

“I find this case appalling,” said Joseph Sandefur, managing partner of a top personal injury firm at https://joeandmartin.com/ with an office headquartered in South Carolina. “I was raised to believe that fire fighters were the good guys, the ones that you could count on no matter what. The idea that these young men were setting fires, including ones while people were inside the building, goes against everything I believe in.”

Most of us have seen a fire truck racing on its way, siren blaring, horn honking, tires spinning. Fire trucks take over the majority of the roads they travel on their way to put out a fire somewhere. If you get in accident in this kind of situation you have right to get settlement.

If you were injured while trapped inside a fire, contact an attorney to learn more about your legal rights and options.

The University of California has been named as the defendant in a civil personal injury lawsuit filed by a former football player. According to the paperwork, Bernard Hicks feels the football program was responsible for medical problems he developed as a result of concussions he suffered while a member of their Golden Bears football team.

Records indicate that Hicks was one of the Golden Bear’s safety’s from 2004-2008. He claims that during that time, he received multiple concussions and that his current quality of life has been diminished as a direct result of the injuries.

In the paperwork Hicks filed, he states that as a result of the concussions he sustained as a college football player, he now has permanent and debilitating” neurological injuries. He reports that the concussions have left him fighting bouts of dizziness and memory loss, that he suffers from depression and entertains thoughts of suicide, and that he struggles with blurred and double vision.

University of California head football coach, the team’s physician, and the programs head athletic trainer have also been listed in the personal injury claim as defendants.

Hicks has hired personal injury lawyer, Matthew Whibley, to assist him on the case. Whibley feels that the university and football program failed to provide adequate medical care for his client and that the school neglected to make sure his client fully understood the long term ramifications and neurological diseases of continuing to play the game even after suffering from the head injuries. Whibley feels that had his client been better educated on the topic of head injuries, he would have made some different decisions about his college football career.

“The university is the players’ caretaker,” Whibley said. “We think it would be fair for them to at least inform the players what they’re getting themselves into.” During his college career, Hicks played in a total of 32 games as a Golden Bear.

“The medical community is only just now starting to fully comprehend the long term impact a head injury has on a person’s overall health and cognitive well-being. It’s my belief that sports programs are not doing everything they should to protect their athletes and that many coaches continue to have a play through the pain training style that has led to many players taking the field when they should actually be in a hospital bed.”

Personal injuries aren’t always things like broken legs and severe lacerations, they can also be head injuries, spinal injuries, and even neurological conditions. The important thing you need to remember is that if you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you’re entitled to a settlement.

Don’t try to resolve a personal injury case by yourself. It’s in your best interest to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney and get their opinion. Not only will they help you properly file your lawsuit, but they’ll also investigate the case and help you create a solid case that will result in a generous settlement.

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