Winston-Salem woman calls for accountability after roadwork damages vehicles

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with new information about the companies contracted to fill in the hole on NE 28th Street.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — A Winston-Salem woman is looking for answers after her car was damaged when she drove through roadwork on NE 28th Street on the night of Sept. 20.

Michelle Goode, a working mother of six, alleges that a massive divot left in the road caused more than $2,500 in damage to her car, and she says she needs someone to take responsibility. 

Goode reached out to the City of Winston-Salem. In an email obtained by FOX8, the city’s Risk Management department told Goode that, “since it was a contractor and not the city doing the work,” she would need to file a claim with Do Dreams Inc., the private contractor that was hired to fill in the hole, “for damages and a review of reimbursement.”

A spokesperson with the city told FOX8 that, while Do Dreams Inc. was contracted to do the work, the company “did not seek and was not given a permit [to perform roadwork on NC 28th Street] by the city,” a claim that the company disputes.

The city said that staff in the permitting office pulled all the permits for the contractor Do Dreams Inc. and found no permits for the company to work on the road at NE 28th Street. 

After several attempts to obtain comment, Soonmin Kwon of Do Dreams Inc. responded and shared with FOX8 two permits, which he says were issued by the city: an Excavation Permit for work on Sept. 8 for Do Dreams Inc., and a Temporary Right-Of-Way Closure permit for work on Sept. 12 for a company Kwon identified as a subcontractor for Do Dreams Inc.

On Sept. 20, Goode says she was taking her usual route home when she hit a large divot in the road on NE 28th Street in Winston-Salem. She alleges that there were no signs directing drivers to slow down, pull over or take another route.

“I was literally just driving up this road normal speed,” Goode said. “As soon as I got around this area, I remember feeling a bottom-out feeling and a real strong jerk impact.”

Goode said it left her car in bad shape after she had just bought new tires two days prior.

“I have to rebuy two tires. I have to replace one of my rims because it is bent, and I also have to replace the rack and pinion and alignment again, so I’m having to redo certain issues that … two days prior just did,” Goode said.

Goode said she reached out to Do Dreams Inc. after the city directed her to file a claim with the company’s insurance, but Goode said the company has not responded with that information. 

According to a police report obtained by FOX8, Goode is not the only person who has been impacted. 

“It appears that the road plates were not put down. Multiple vehicle crashes were reported,” the report states.

Since then, the torn-up road has been filled in and repaired.