More than 12,000 traffic citations issued in Fayetteville city limits in 2021
More than 12,000 traffic citations were issued in 2021 to motorists in the city limits, data from the Fayetteville Police Department shows.
Fayetteville owns and maintains about 740 miles of roads, according to the Traffic Services Division.
Speeding was the most frequently issued traffic citation last year. The Fayetteville Police Department wrote up nearly 5,000 speeding citations — nearly 3,000 of which were for exceeding 15 miles over the speed limit. There were also nearly 500 citations issued to motorists for failing to reduce speed in order to avoid an accident, the data shows.
The second most frequently issued traffic citation last year was for driving while license was suspended or revoked. Nearly 2,000 tickets were issued. Third on the list of most issued citations was nearly 800 for driving without a license, the data shows.
Four people were cited in 2021 for misdemeanor death by vehicle, according to the data. Felony death by motor vehicle would not be listed in the citation data.
The fatal wrecks in which a misdemeanor death by vehicle charge was filed were:
• May 12 on Roxie Avenue near Martindale Drive. Mattie Stephens Guillette, 87, of Raeford, died two days after the car she was riding in was struck head-on by another vehicle shortly before 2 p.m. Roberto Teofilo Cain was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and failure to maintain lane control.
• Aug. 4 on Gillis Road near Raeford Road. Passenger Yasmin Carde-Grace White, 27, of Fayetteville, died as a result of the 9:58 p.m. single-vehicle wreck. Driver Destiny Evans was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, operating a vehicle without insurance, having a fictitious title, registration or plate, and failure to maintain lane control.
• Sept. 17 on Murchison Road near Langdon Street. Maranda Lee Nutter, 31, of Fayetteville, died after a car reportedly failed to yield the right of way at crossed into her path about 12:21 a.m. Robert Edward Lett was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, unsafe movement and failure to yield.
• Sept. 24 on Skibo Road near Legend Avenue. Dorse Monsieur Wynter, 29, of Fayetteville, was killed in the 10:19 a.m. collision when a vehicle turned into the path of Wynter's motorcycle. Bruce Levon Yeomans was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and unsafe movement.
The data shows that January was the month when the most tickets were issued (1,519), followed by December (1,255) and November and March tying at 1,170. The least amount of tickets was issued in June (644).
Among the year's 12,110 tickets, Black drivers received the most citations (7,379). A Fayetteville Observer analysis found a disparity between the numbers of Black and white drivers stopped by Fayetteville police officers. The imbalance is even larger among drivers whose vehicles were searched, the analysis shows. In 2021, white drivers received 3,811 tickets; Asian drivers received 419; Native American drivers received 201: and the balance went to drivers whose race was unknown or classified as "other."
The most ticketed location was along Raeford Road. The second location where the most traffic citations were issued was on Morganton Road, and the third was on All American Expressway.
Health and education writer Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at acastrellon@gannett.com or 910-486-3561.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville Police Department traffic citations data trends from 2021
