Man in Wheelchair Killed by Alleged DWI Driver on Buckner Blvd in Dallas, TX
Dallas, TX -- May 14, 2022, an elderly man in a motorized wheelchair was killed by an alleged DWI driver on Buckner Boulevard in Dallas.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:00 p.m. at the intersection of Buckner and Cordell Drive. Preliminary investigation suggests 19-year-old Juan Segura-Mendez was driving a Dodge pickup on Buckner at alleged high speeds when he crashed into the back of a Chevy Silverado that was towing an empty trailer. The impact pushed the Chevy's trailer into the wheelchair-bound man, who was crossing the road at Cordell.
The 75-year-old victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. No other injuries were reported.
According to reports Segura-Mendez was arrested on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Auto-Pedestrian Accident on Buckner Blvd in Dallas
It's always concerning when investigators mention that alcohol may have played a role in a crash. It's important to look into that further for a number of reasons; obviously it's dangerous for anyone to drive drunk, but beyond that there may be issues where a local business broke the law--certainly by selling or serving drinks to an underage party, but also if it might have sold it in excess quantities. That's dealt with under dram shop law, which says any business that illegally over-serves its customers may be liable for the damage those customers cause or suffer while under the influence.
Sometimes people argue that a bar shouldn't be held responsible for giving customers what they want, but the law disagrees. Most people won't argue with refusing service to underage people, but it's also hard to dispute that grossly over-served customers of any age present a danger both to themselves and to the public.
Dram shop law was passed to ensure negligent over-service is met with appropriate consequences. Not every DWI incident starts with a dram violation, but they're more common than many people think and they should be dealt with as soon as possible in case a bar is endangering the community.
One way or another, getting folks the help they need means ensuring they have all the facts. That means confirming the suspect was intoxicated with blood tests, as well as finding out where his alcohol came from. Any further steps to take would depend mostly on what's found out during a careful and thorough investigation.
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