Drinking and driving should not mix, because when they do, they often have serious consequences for all involved. Those who are victims of drunk driving accidents can suffer potentially life-altering injuries. Our Houston readers might have heard about a recent accident that injured two people and resulted in charges for one of the drivers.
According to authorities, a driver of a red Mitsubishi Montero jumped a curve on the South Loop feed, lost control of the vehicle and hit a retaining wall. Several people stopped to help the driver. While people were trying to help, a green Toyota Previa slammed into the disabled Montero and then that car hit one of the Good Samaritans.
The 46-year-old driver of the Montero was taken to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. The Good Samaritan who was struck by the Montero was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The driver of the Previa, a 27-year-old man, was arrested under suspicion of drunken driving. Authorities have not stated what the man will be charged with. For law enforcement to have taken the man into custody, he would have had to show visible signs of impairment.
For the two people who were injured in the second accident, the results as to whether the man was under the influence could be an important determining factor regarding whether a civil suit should be pursued. Although the mere fact that the driver of the Previa struck the Montero and drove that vehicle into the Good Samaritan could be enough to prove him financially responsible for both the injuries sustained in the accident, if he was also under the influence it will only strengthen the victims’ requests for compensation. An attorney well-versed in the nuances of civil litigation can help anyone in a similar situation decide the best course of action.
Source: KTRK.com, “Police: Drunk driver collides with wrecked vehicle in southeast Houston; 2 hurt” No author given, Sep. 23, 2013