Rendon, TX — An accident that involved a total of three cars left four people dead and nine others injured in rural Tarrant County, south Rendon. Police identified two of the deceased victims as Shelby Boyles, 21, and Hollie Boyles, 42, mother and daughter.

According to reports, the accident happened on Saturday night near midnight at Burleson Retta Road and Rendon Road. A white SUV had become disabled on the side of the road along Burleson-Retta and both Shelby and Hollie were trying to help the driver. The following details in the accident reports are unclear so far, but they indicate that a white pickup truck, a red pickup truck, and a Volkswagen passenger car were involved.

The white pickup truck involved had reportedly stopped alongside the disabled SUV and the driver, an local minister, exited the truck offer assistance. The following sequence of events was not entirely clear, but the white truck and the SUV were struck by a red pickup truck and a Volkswagen, killing both Shelby and Hollie Boyles, as well as the driver of the SUV and the driver of the white pickup truck.

Another 9 people were injured, many of which included children and teenagers.  The driver of the red pickup truck was identified as 17-year old Ethan Couch, but his condition was not listed.

Police are investigating the accident closely with Texas DPS troopers, but no details have been released yet and the cause of the wreck is yet unknown.

UPDATE: A recent press release has stated that Ethan Couch, 17, is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol when his red pickup truck crashed into the disabled SUV and white pickup truck. Details are still being investigated, but police claimed that Couch and the several teens in his pickup truck had recently returned from a local party where alcohol had been provided.

Scene of the Accident

Commentary:

The hours leading up to this accident will prove to be of interest to many, I think, in the days to come. If this teenager consumed alcohol at a local house party, then who provided the alcohol? Was there an adult serving it, or did someone open up their house and simply turn a blind eye? Rather than speculate on the events of that day, however, I’d like to use this opportunity to educate my readers on Texas Social Host Liability and how it relates to the law.

An adult social host (usually a homeowner) provides alcohol or allows it to be served to his guests at a social function, they are only considered liable for persons under the age of 18. If someone becomes intoxicated at a social function and is allowed to leave and get behind the wheel of a car, the social host bears partial liability if that party-goer then gets into an accident and injures themselves or others. This concept is similar to the way that the TABC prohibits a bar from serving alcohol to an already-intoxicated customer. Many people simply don’t realize that fighting alcohol-related car accidents is more than just punishing the drivers – there is more at stake. When an adult is entrusted with a minor, is it really OK for that adult to serve them alcohol and then simply turn a blind eye to their activities? It’s time that people realize what’s at stake here and take a stand against those who are involved with the “other half” of these accidents.

 

– Grossman Law Offices