Cody McCutchen Injured in Single-Vehicle Accident on US-281 in Jim Wells County, TX
Jim Wells County, TX — May 6, 2022, 30-year-old Cody McCutchen was injured in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 281 in Jim Wells County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 2:40 p.m. on US-281 near Farm to Market Road 624. Preliminary investigation suggests McCutchen was driving a Toyota Corolla north on the highway when he failed to maintain his lane. The car drifted left onto the shoulder and McCutchen lost control, entering a side-skid back through the roadway.
The car left the other side of the road and hit a fence, then a power pole. It then went airborne and rolled several times before coming to rest upright in the grass beyond the fence.
McCutchen suffered serious injuries in the crash. Witnesses told investigators he passed them at high speeds and also reported finding a cooler of cold alcoholic beverages in the debris from the crash. Police noted they would subpoena his treatment records as part of a DWI investigation.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Cody McCutchen Accident on US-281 in Jim Wells County
It's always important to take preliminary reports like these with a grain of salt. Is it possible the factors mentioned by police--speeding and alcohol--contributed to the crash? Certainly, and they're important to look into. Concerns about alcohol could be particularly important, since the injured driver may be able to get some much-needed help through dram shop law if a bar over-served him (or if he bought his cold ones somewhere while obviously intoxicated). However, just because those are the leading theories doesn't mean other possibilities should be ignored.
When people have us look into serious wrecks we often learn that authorities weren't really thorough. They sometimes just check for obvious factors without considering things like mechanical issues, tire defects, road hazards, medical conditions, etc. Even their reports sometimes say things like drunk driving played a role only for further investigations to show they were purely speculating.
That's why I don't jump to conclusions in these situations, but instead let the evidence speak for itself. Having independent investigators look into things is crucial for getting injured victims the full story and the help they need.
