A Favor for a Friend
EACH OF THE WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER AND ADOBE ACROBAT FILES MAY TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES TO DOWNLOAD.
INSTEAD OF DOWNLOADING EACH INTERVIEW SEPARATELY, YOU MAY DOWNLOAD THE NCSHP REPORT IN ADOBE ACROBAT FORMAT WHICH CONTAINS ALL INTERVIEWS.
Hickory, N.C. – On May 31, 2007, Dr. Robert L. Liljeberg, Jr., dear friend and campaign donor to DA Jay Gaither, was talking on his cellphone and illegally passing a vehicle while attempting to merge onto Interstate 40 west at Fairgrove Church Road when he side-swiped a white tractor trailer that was traveling in the right westbound lane. The impact caused the white truck to move into the left westbound lane hitting a red tractor trailer causing the red truck to jackknife and go into a “barrell roll.”
Numerous witnesses, including Roger Lee, the driver of the white truck, stopped at the scene of the accident. One witness, Leslie Frye, approached the driver of the red truck who was hanging upside down. Mr. Frye stated that the driver did not show any signs of life. Mr. Frye told Mr. Lee that it was “no use, he’s gone” referring to the driver of the red truck. The driver of the red truck, Billy Ray Parker, died as a result of this accident.
Dr. Liljeberg approached Mr. Lee and stated, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your truck.” To which Mr. Lee responded that he was not worried about his truck and that “all this was pointless, useless if you (Liljeberg) would have waited two (2) more seconds.” A moment later and within a few minutes after the accident had occurred, Mr. Lee heard someone saying, “Hold it! Hold it! You can’t leave! You can’t leave!” Mr. Lee, along with several other witnesses, saw Dr. Liljeberg get into his vehicle and flee the scene of the accident. Click here to listen to Mr. Lee’s statement.
Following the accident, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) Collision Reconstruction Unit conducted an extensive investigation into the cause of the accident. The investigation took hundreds of man hours and months to complete and culminated in the release of a 425 page report (a link to the report can be found below). The report concluded “that the proximate cause of this collision and the subsequent death of Billy Ray Parker were both due to Dr. Robert Louis Liljeberg, Jr.’s inattention and failure to yield the right-of-way as he attempted to merge onto I-40. In addition, Dr. Liljeberg, Jr. willfully left the scene of the collision after he knew or should have known that he was involved in a fatal collision.”
Furthermore, the investigation revealed numerous discrepancies between the statements made by Dr. Liljeberg regarding the circumstances surrounding the accident and the statements of seven eyewitnesses. Click here to listen to Dr. Liljeberg’s statement.
Although Dr. Liljeberg admitted he was aware, prior to leaving the scene of the accident, that there was an impact to his vehicle and that Mr. Parker had died as a result of the accident, the DA’s office did not seek prosecution of Dr. Liljeberg. Instead, on July 24, 2008, the DA’s office consented to Dr. Liljeberg’s request for a prayer for judgment continued which resulted in Dr. Liljeberg serving NO JAIL TIME AND ONLY PAYING A FINE OF $121.00. Furthermore, to prevent Dr. Liljeberg from having to face any humiliation in open court, the DA’s office provided Dr. Liljeberg with a session of court for which his case was the only matter on the docket. Click here to view the court order.
When DA Jay Gaither was questioned about why it appeared that Dr. Liljeberg received special treatment he stated that he knows the particulars of this case and he knows them well. However, DA Gaither refused to address why it appeared Dr. Liljeberg received special treatment, but made the following statement in Dr. Liljeberg’s defense, “the (outside) truck was going 55 mph and the inside truck was going 60 mph. By no stretch of the imagination, in my experience in 7 years is that what I would call fatal wreck speed.” This statement fails to recognize that even if there were such a legal term as fatal wreck speed, that no one, including Dr. Liljeberg, disputed that the accident was the cause of Mr. Parker’s death. Furthermore, as stated above, the NCSHP concluded that the accident and the subsequent death of Billy Ray Parker were both due to Dr. Robert Louis Liljeberg, Jr.’s inattention and failure to yield the right-of-way.
With the above synopsis in mind, below are links to additional interviews conducted by the NCSHP during their investigation along with a link to the full 425 page report. Please take the time to review the evidence and YOU be the judge as to whether Liljeberg received a favor from his friend DA Jay Gaither.
Taped conversations are in Windows Media Player format and the NCSHP report is an Adobe Acrobat document.
Ray Orgeron Turner, Athletic Trainer with Carolina Orthopedics Specialists
A man lost his life and this guy got nothing because he is buddies with Gaither. How many other things like this has happened that we do not know about? Gaithet MUST GO!
Why can’t the local newspapers keep up with thesee matters…i feel like we are living in the dark. i am shocked and saddened at thte state of our judicial system- how many people were involved in this
Gaither can be seen out drinking at several places in the area. I know some of his drinking buddies and they have told me about some of the things that he does. If you are a friend or if you have money you can get by with just about anything with this DA. If you do a crime, you must do your time. We need a new DA.
Look, everyone must realize that Gaither and Reid are also, buddies and will destroy Catawba County. They must be stopped.
Look at the statute the DA’s office used in charging the doctor. it doesn’t even apply, here’s what the statute says:
(c) The driver of any vehicle, when the driver knows or reasonably should know that the vehicle which the driver is operating is involved in a crash which results:
(1) Only in damage to property; or
(2) In injury or death to any person, but only if the operator of the vehicle did not know and did not have reason to know of the death or injury;
shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the crash. If the crash is a reportable crash, the driver shall remain with the vehicle at the scene of the crash until a law enforcement officer completes the investigation of the crash or authorizes the driver to leave and the vehicle to be removed, unless remaining at the scene places the driver or others at significant risk of injury.
Prior to the completion of the investigation of the crash by a law enforcement officer, or the consent of the officer to leave, the driver may not facilitate, allow, or agree to the removal of the vehicle from the scene, for any purpose other than to call for a law enforcement officer, to call for medical assistance or medical treatment, or to remove oneself or others from significant risk of injury. If the driver does leave for a reason permitted by this subsection, then the driver must return with the vehicle to the accident scene within a reasonable period of time, unless otherwise instructed by a law enforcement officer. A willful violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The doctor admitted that he knew the driver of one of the semis was dead. He even said he checked the pulse of the guy. How can they use a statute that doens’t even apply????? the doctor should have been charged and convicted of a felony.
Gaither has always been a snot nosed punk. He has always acted like that he is better than everybody. Gaither’s family has money and even as a kid he thought that he was better than everyone else. Anything that this guy does would not surprise me including letting one of his buddies walk free after a man lost his life. How did this guy ever get elected the first time?
So now we know the price of a man’s life, according to DA Gaither, $121.00. Gaither is not the only one though that has acted irresponsibly in this matter. Coy Reid was also a factor as well as Gaither. Also who was the idiot Judge who allowed this to happen, he needs his head examined also. My heart goes out to the Parker family, and I am disgusted with the outcome for the family. There is no excuse or explaination for travisty of justice, but there is a solution, GET RID OF ALL PARTIES INVOLVED IN THIS FIASCO. Never again should a person in Catawba County lose their lives while Reid and Gaither Obstruct Justice.
Now I know who the Judge was, it was Hayes, now why doesn’t that surprise me.
Disgusting dereliction of duty—FIRE Coy—IMPEACH–D Jay the DA.
Wonder who is sitting there with the doctor drinking in the pitchure? What a disgrace this case is and I wonder how many other things have went on with this DA. This case alone makes him unfit to be DA.
We need a new DA. Gaither needs to find a new job and get into something that he does not have to deal with people. I saw him get mad at last years Hickory Fair and make a fool of himself. A few days later I saw him out drinking. Bad temper plus drinking and letting people walk who have done some really bad things. What’s up with this guy?
I am a long time supporter of Mr. Gaither. He even came to me personally guarenteed me he would not play this small town pollitics! I KNOW NOW I AM WRONG. I have ben a police officer in this County for 17hrs, and I had been told their was a cover up, but did not believe it. Jay, you have been in my home and told me several years ago things like this would not happen! I won’t say shame on you, because yo are a David Moose Junky!!!!!!!!
Sounds like it is time to toss out a few judges that condone this behavoir—(the little lush) and the (tatoo queen bar owner) for starters.
Since Jay is doing favors for friends I have one to ask, Please resign! One problem, I’m not a friend.
I do not think that Coy Reid said nor did anything wrong. From what I listened to of his interview, I believe he was totally honest. Come on he was awoken from his sleep by this slieball, dont get me wrong, I think “Lugibug” knew what he was doing. Coy did nothng wrong. He has made himself available to EVERYONE in this county and we should say thanks!!!
Coy Reid honest? You have to be kidding!
What bothers me about Mr. Reid’s interview is how he refers to the rest of the people that he has to deal with as pieces of crap. I’ve been involved in the justice system and I know he should have adviced that doctor to turn himself in immediately. So, if Mr. Reid is elected as sheriff and receives a call from a friend at 1am and someone confesses that they “accidently” shot someone and fled the scene would he be to sleepy to tell them just wait until you get a lawyer before turning themselves in. We need better leaders than that. A man lost his life here folks. This is serious business.
Also, let’s NEVER forget what he did to Mr. Ledford. He ruined this man’s life because his driving ambition to become sheriff.
I have heard of a lot of things that have went on in the DA’s Office. At first I did not belive some of it, but I have freinds that work at the court house in Newton, that have given me first hand infromation on several cases and I must say that this Gaither guy has to be put out of office. People need to know how bad this guy is and some of the things that he has done over the years and is still doing.
Reid and Gaither are two peas on a pod. They have too much power and cannot be trusted to use this power for the citizens. They simply are in this for themselves. This situation is a travesty of justice. Charges should be filed. And both of them need to be voted OUT>
Gaither thinks that he is above everybody else and his freinds think that they are above the law, just like this guy. But when your buddy is the DA that helps you to think that way.
Folks it is time to drain the swamp at the “Justice” Center- it’s time to send Dave, Coy and Jay packing. At least Coy was honest one time anyway when he revealed his true attitude about his fellow citizens as the “crap he must deal with”. That is a real role model for our youth and makes senior citizens feel a lot safer.
Rich Boy + Temper + Drinking + A-Hole = Jay the DA
FYI, check out Twincitiesforum.info for further evidence of corruption. Someone has posted proof of a $1500 contribution to Coy Reid from Dr. L’s wife! Man, this county is a swamp!
Dr Liljeburg did my knee surgery not long after he came to Catawba County. I did not know of ANY of this until a few days ago and the more I think about it the more it makes me ANGRY! It makes me sick to think he got away with killing someone! UGH!!! The thoughts of this make me want to go see him and just ask… WHY!!!! Well, I guess I really don’t need to go see him because I know why…. the DA and the whole corrupted law system. I hope they all read these posts… im sure they just sit back and laugh… but when you do wrong…. I hope they ask for forgiveness when God starts his lesson…..You reap what you sew
GAITHER MUST GO !! Let us vote him out so he can go live in Charleston with his brother and get him out of our area.
I’m not a big supporter of Miranda Rights anyway, but Coy takes it farther than I’ve ever seen. I always thought that if a person wants to confess their crimes to law enforcement it helps in the prosecution to let them talk. Unless you have no desire to see justice served. And if that’s the case, I sure do not want you to be my sheriff.
I thought Republicans stood for law and order? I think I’ve spotted a RINO.
Nice point, Rino Hunter. Guess friendship and money took a front seat over justice for the guy that was killed.
Hey Doc–While you are having the Mrs.to write Coy a $1500 check for his campaign–how about making a donation to MADD (Mothers against drunk driving) in honor of your pal Jay the DA.
Has Coy given you a copy of the taped conversation he had with you the night of the accident??
his brother got run out of town for building crappy houses and not finishing subdivision improvements (google cole gaither to confirm). after claiming innocence (BS!) the gaither parents had to bail cole out cause cole ain’t got no money.
cole got ran out of town and the state. the same should happen to his brother and the whole we’re-better-than-you family!
Nurses are held accountable if they witness an accident and do not attend the injured. Dr. Liljeberg’s actions were negligent. Jay Gaither is incompetent and corrupt
Yeah, I bet the Highway Patrol would love to get a copy of that tape. But, wait, even though Reid lied to the SHP, he wouldn’t get prosecuted because his drinking/running/plotting buddy Jay is DA. But, then, if Shawn Clark wins………maybae there is hope yet for prosecution of obstruction of justice