Two victims who perished in a fatal car accident in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 4 have been identified after the initial phases of an investigation. Local authorities say that the incident may have been a drunk driving accident, as one driver is facing allegations of driving while intoxicated. That driver, a 40-year-old woman, had two previous drunk driving convictions: one in California in 2006 and another in Nevada four years later. Other charges are also pending in the tragic fatal accident.
Investigators say that the accident occurred during the afternoon hours at an intersection on Highway 183, when the woman struck a Honda sedan with her Ford SUV. She was traveling northbound on a service road when she struck the eastbound sedan. The 46-year-old female passenger in the Honda died at the scene, and the 49-year-old man expired at a nearby hospital after suffering catastrophic injuries.
It appears that one of the drivers ran a red light, causing the collision. Even though it is not entirely clear which vehicle violated the traffic signal, the driver of the SUV has been officially charged with DWI, which is a third-degree felony on account of her two other convictions. This was the third fatal traffic crash in Austin this year; in 2013, nine people had died on area roads by early February.
Even though the drunk driver in this case may not have committed the traffic violation that caused the wreck, she was still intoxicated and is now facing criminal charges. In addition, drunk drivers may also be subject to civil lawsuits filed by relatives who lost a loved one in a fatal crash. These survivors may be able to recover financial compensation for a variety of civil claims with the help of a Texas wrongful death attorney.
Source: KEYE TV, “UPDATED: NW Austin Crash Victims Identified” No author given, Feb. 06, 2014