William Maples Injured in Car Accident on Camp Bullis Rd in San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, TX -- May 14, 2022, 50-year-old William Maples was injured in a single-vehicle accident on Camp Bullis Road in San Antonio.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:05 p.m. on Camp Bullis at Old Camp Bullis Road. Preliminary investigation suggests Maples was driving a Hyundai Elantra east on the roadway when he crashed into a concrete barrier blocking traffic. After the impact the barrier skidded to the right shoulder and the Hyundai overturned. The car rolled onto the westbound shoulder.
Maples suffered serious injuries in the crash. Authorities noted finding no evidence he braked before the impact and suspected he was intoxicated at the time. Blood samples were collected for testing.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on William Maples Accident on Camp Bullis Rd in San Antonio
UPDATE (August 17, 2022): Later reports indicate the accident victim had a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .115 at the time. I don't say that to judge or preach about alcohol, just to recognize that evidence of intoxication may mean there's more to investigate.
As I mentioned previously, Texas dram shop law holds businesses that over-serve alcohol responsible for the injuries their intoxicated patrons cause or suffer while under the influence. That's why finding out where the drinks came from is an important (but too often ignored) step in helping the victim get back on his feet.
One of the conditions of a dram shop claim is that the bar must have sold or served drinks to the customer when he was obviously intoxicated. It's hard to say whether someone just a bit past the legal limit would have shown signs of impairment that servers or store clerks could pick up on, but if they could provably tell that he was past his limit and sold him more anyway they may be responsible for his injuries.
Not every DWI crash involves a dram violation, but it's an important issue to look into any time alcohol consumption may be the cause of someone's injuries. Will police look into the possibility here, or should independent investigators take a closer look?
ORIGINAL: If test results confirm intoxication was a factor as police suspect, they should find out where the victim drank. Texas and many other states broaden the responsibility for DWI wrecks beyond the drivers to sometimes include the businesses that sold or served them alcohol. If further investigations determine a bar or other vendor over-served the driver prior to the accident, that business may be responsible for his injuries under dram shop law. It may then have to help the victim get back on his feet.
Sometimes people argue that a bar shouldn't be held responsible for giving customers what they want, but the law disagrees. It's clearly dangerous for bars to serve drinks nonstop before turning their over-intoxicated customers loose on the roads. In the course of my career I've seen the devastating effects of that reckless and illegal behavior far too many times, and I'm not alone in wanting it shut down anywhere it pops up.
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