Christopher White Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident on FM 1463 in Katy, TX
Katy, TX -- December 11, 2021, 37-year-old Christopher White was seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident on Farm to Market Road 1463 in Fort Bend County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:05 p.m. on FM 1463 at U.S. Highway 90. Preliminary investigation suggests White was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck north on the roadway when he approached the "T" intersection with US-90. Reports indicate he sped through the intersection, exiting the north side and hitting a sign pole and some fencing before coming to a stop on nearby railroad tracks.
White suffered serious injuries in the crash. A passenger in the vehicle was reportedly unhurt.
Investigators say White admitted to drinking alcohol before the accident. His passenger confirmed he had consumed alcohol and said he may also have been sleepy at the time. Investigators planned to subpoena his treatment records to determine the role of intoxicants in the crash.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Christopher White Accident on FM 1463 in Katy
Depending on what the subpoenaed treatment records show the injured victim may face some legal consequences for his choices that night. That's between him and the justice system, though, and I won't speculate about his day in court. However, there's another element to the crash that deserves further discussion and could provide the victim with some help getting back on his feet.
Texas law broadens the scope of responsibility for alcohol-related crashes beyond the drivers themselves to often include the businesses that sold them their drinks. Dram shop laws are designed to hold alcohol providers accountable for negligently over-serving their customers. When businesses sell or serve alcohol to obviously intoxicated customers, they may be liable for any injuries those customers go on to cause or suffer while excessively impaired.
Not every DWI accident involves a dram shop violation. For instance, if the suspect drank at home or bought alcohol while sober and then drank it on the road then it's not likely that a business could be held liable for his injuries. Even if that or something similar is the case, though, it's worth knowing for sure any time alcohol consumption may be a direct factor in a crash.
So will the authorities find out where the drinks came from? Unfortunately, I doubt it. Police don't invest many resources into dram shop violations despite how important it is to identify and stop that reckless and illegal behavior. Anyone hurt in drunk driving accidents, even the driver himself, is often best served by independent investigations to hold such a negligent business responsible.
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