Four lives were tragically taken in Galveston, Texas by 45-year-old Miguel Espinoza in early August when he decided to get behind the wheel of his vehicle while intoxicated. Earlier in the night, Mr. Espinoza had been drinking at Gloria’s Lounge, located on the 4100 block of Avenue S in Galveston. The victims were visiting Galveston Island on vacation and were identified as Felipe Bentacur, 49, his niece Destiny Uvalle, 25, and two grandchildren: Kaisyn Bentacur, 4, and Brailyn Cantu, 14.
On October 3, Gil Garcia, the 58-year-old bartender accused of overserving the drunk driver who struck and killed the four victims, was arrested on charges of selling alcohol to an intoxicated person. In the press release issued following the arrest, TABC Executive Director Thomas Graham commented on the crucial role played by establishments that serve alcohol: “Businesses can help prevent deadly crashes by following the law and educating employees on how to identify signs of intoxication. Businesses that are found to have contributed to serious injury or loss of life will be held accountable.”
According to Texas law, when a bar or restaurant serves alcohol to someone who is already intoxicated, they violate the Texas Dram Shop Act and can be held liable for injuries or deaths resulting from drunk driving. This act was created to disincentivize bars and restaurants from serving alcohol to intoxicated persons so as to prevent drunk driving and tragic incidents like the one described above.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving a drunk driver, call the law firm of Abraham Watkins today. It is imperative that you find a law firm to manage your claim as soon as possible following an injury or death of a family member. Further, it is important to find a skilled law firm with experience handling these cases to ensure that the responsible parties are held fully accountable.
The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz, & Stogner is the longest-standing personal injury firm in Texas, and our attorneys are standing by to assist with your claim. Call us today at 713-222-7211 or 1-800-594-4884 for your free consultation.
Texas bartender accused of overserving drunk driver before crash that killed four (kxan.com)