Rep. Womble released from hospital : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

WINSTON-SALEM — State Rep. Larry Womble, who was critically injured in a December head-on crash that killed the driver of the other car, has been released from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said Monday.

The date of his release was not immediately available. N.C. Rep. Earline Parmon said that Womble's condition is improving and that he has been moved to a rehabilitation facility.

Womble's speech is also getting better, Parmon said. Because the family wants him to focus on his therapy, the name of the facility will not be released, Parmon said.

Womble was injured Dec. 2 in the crash on Reynolds Park Road, and David Carmichael, 54, was killed. Police investigators believe Womble crossed the center line and struck Carmichael's car, which was coming from the other direction.

Toxicology tests showed that Womble did not have alcohol in his system at the time, while Carmichael had a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit. Witnesses have told police that Carmichael stayed in his lane and that Womble crossed into his path.

No charges have been filed. The investigation is continuing.

Police have said for weeks that they have been waiting for Womble's health to improve before they question him about what happened the night of the crash.

Capt. Bill Cobb said Monday that he was aware that Womble had been released, but "right now, we still have not talked to him."

Womble, 70, a Democrat who has served nine terms in the House, was a teacher for many years and retired as an assistant principal.

Interested

February 7, 2012 - 6:37 am EST

Does it really matter what happened? He crossed the center line, another person was killed as a result, and apparently there wasn't a mechanical failure as I'm sure we would have heard about that by now. One would think that, at the very least, he would be charged with driving left of center.

koolaiddrinker

February 7, 2012 - 7:26 am EST

If witness statements are true, the Crash Team can show through their investigation that he was across the center line and that no politics are involved...he should be charged with Misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle with the underlying charge of driving left of center.

rooster8786

February 7, 2012 - 10:48 am EST

the KEY phrase in your comment: "he should be". Unfortunately, this does not mean " he WILL be". If it was me, or any other "average Joe", we'd be charged while laying in the hospital bed.

The_Doctor

February 7, 2012 - 2:45 pm EST

You are absolutely correct. Being part of our "elected royalty" makes you generally unaccountable and above the law, whereas the peasants (like you and me) will find the whole system crashing down on us for even the slightest mistake, let alone for vehicular homicide.

He'll never face charges. The system protects its own. No wonder politicians are obsessed with holding onto power and they try to stay in office until they wither up and die. The thing they fear more than anything else is to be like you and me: ordinary, powerless, and without special privileges.

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