Marty Wayne Chapin Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident in Wise County, TX
Wise County, TX -- November 17, 2021, Marty Wayne Chapin was injured after an accident where Chapin's vehicle overturned off-road.
Authorities were called to the scene of the crash at around 4:07 p.m. along Highway 199 in the area of County Road 3849.
In their reports, officials said that 58-year-old Marty Wayne Chapin was in a Toyota Highlander traveling southeast along the highway. The vehicle lost control and ran off-road, causing the vehicle to overturn.
Chapin sustained incapacitating injuries as a result of the crash. Investigators allege that Chapin was under the influence of alcohol at the time. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Marty Wayne Chapin Single-Vehicle Accident in Wise County
Just to be clear up front, I take early reports with a grain of salt because I've seen how they can miss important information and get the facts wrong. Maybe alcohol had nothing to do with this crash. Even if it did, I also don't discount possible ways people can at least get the help they need, even if they may have consequences of their own to face. Folks are often surprised to hear that someone allegedly drunk behind the wheel could have a claim against someone else for their injuries, but it becomes clear when one understands dram shop law.
To put it simply, dram shop law says that an alcohol provider who over-serves an obviously intoxicated person can be liable for damages resulting from that intoxication. If an alcohol provider over-serves someone, that puts lives at risk--both those in the community and their own customers. As such, dram shop is as effective a tool for those hurt by drunk drivers as it is for drivers who got hurt because they engaged in reckless behavior due to being recklessly over-served to the point of being dangerously intoxicated. Utilizing this tool can both get people some much needed help while also making sure that negligent alcohol providers are also held accountable for their actions just as we expect drunk drivers to have their day in court.
Again, maybe nothing like that happened here. My point is simply that folks overlook crashes like this assuming that there's nothing to talk about. In reality, someone being seriously hurt warrants every possible step to consider how they can get the help they need. Based on these reports alone, I don't see why this crash would be an exception.
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