A 34-year-old drunk driver could face up to 100 years in prison after causing a horrific fatal car accident on a Harris County, Texas, road. The at-fault driver reportedly had a blood alcohol content that approached three times the legal limit for driving in the state, according to authorities. Five victims died in that fatal car accident, according to authorities, and one 11-year-old victim is in such critical condition that she is not expected to live.
The collision occurred on June 29, when the defendant struck a truck full of occupants while traveling in the wrong direction on Sam Houston Parkway. The accident happened relatively early in the evening – at about 11 p.m. – and was particularly deadly because none of the victims were restrained by a seat belt. The victims’ vehicle burst into flames, and the victims had to be forcibly extricated through the removal of the truck’s roof and doors.
The defendant in the case will face five separate counts of intoxicated manslaughter in connection with the incident. Each of those counts could carry a 20-year prison term if the man is convicted. Authorities in the area say they are horrified at the outcome of the crash. One sheriff’s sergeant says that the wreck is the deadliest she has investigated in 12 years on the force.
This fatal car accident was the second such wreck in just over a week. On June 22, four family members died when their car was struck by a drunk driver who ran a red light. Relatives of such victims deserve justice in criminal court, but they may also be eligible to bring civil complaints against the at-fault drivers who caused their pain and suffering. No one should have to endure such a tragic incident because of someone else’s negligence.
Source: Source: “First of five victims in Sunday wrong-way highway crash identified,” Allan Turner, July 2, 2014