The woman involved in driving the wrong way on a freeway has been charged with intoxication assault for the resulting collision.
Dramatic dashcam video captured by witness Jim Carroll showed a driver heading in the wrong direction on I-45 early Saturday morning. The location was on the Pierce Elevated section of I-45, near the southwest side of the central business district. The driver was reported to be Nicole Bertoldi. Some evidence suggests she had been going the wrong way on the Gulf Freeway since Telephone Road.
Mr. Carroll narrowly avoided being hit, but others were not so lucky. A crash was reported to the police at about 2:30 a.m. The wreck involved three vehicles. Ms. Bertoldi, driving a white Toyota Corolla, allegedly hit a white Kia Optima head on, and sideswiped another car. News accounts indicate that a 67-year-old man in the Kia was seriously injured and was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital.
Ms. Bertoldi was also injured. According to information that has been reported, she admitted to police that she had been drinking before the collision. As a result, she now faces felony charges of intoxicated assault.
Once again, the criminal justice system must ensure that proper procedures are followed. And that, if thereafter Ms. Bertoldi is convicted, a proper penalty is meted out, both as a punishment to Ms. Bertoldi and as a warning to the community. Those who might consider drinking and driving need to know that they will face criminal sanctions. In addition, the civil justice system must make certain that Ms. Bertoldi compensates the injured man fully for the injuries and damages he sustained from Ms. Bertoldi’s reckless and dangerous behavior.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.