Keyara Collins Injured in Car Accident on I-30 in Arlington, TX
Arlington, TX — May 24, 2022, 28-year-old Keyera Collins was injured in a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 30 in Arlington.
According to reports the incident happened around 3:20 p.m. on I-30 near Ballpark Way. Preliminary investigation suggests Collins was driving a Chevrolet sedan west on the road when she failed to maintain a single lane.
The Chevy traveled off the left side of the road and Collins over-corrected, sending the car back through the roadway to the north shoulder where it hit a wall.
Collins suffered serious injuries in the crash. A passenger in the Chevy was reportedly unhurt.
Investigators said Collins admitted to drinking 5 or 6 shots at a bar before driving.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Keyara Collins Accident on I-30 in Arlington
Given the driver's reported confession of drinking a significant quantity of alcohol at a bar, it's not shocking that police think alcohol is a factor in this crash. They'll likely need something more definitive like blood test results to know exactly what role it played, but depending on what's learned the victim may face some legal consequences. Her fate in court isn't for me to speculate on, as I'd rather look at ways to help her get back on her feet.
For instance, even if she was driving drunk as police suspect there may be another party to hold responsible for that. Texas dram shop law broadens the scope of responsibility for alcohol-related crashes beyond the drivers to often include the businesses that sold them their drinks. When bars or other alcohol providers sell or serve alcohol to obviously intoxicated customers, the law says they may be liable for any injuries those customers cause or suffer while under the influence.
Not every DWI accident involves a dram shop violation, but considering the victim said she put down half a dozen shots at some local watering hole it seems like an important lead to check up on. If that bar broke the law by over-serving her then it seems only right that it help her get back on her feet.
So will the authorities look further into that? It pains me to say this, but I doubt it. Police don't look too hard at dram shop violations despite how important it is to put a stop to them. Victims of drunk driving accidents, even the drivers themselves, are better off when independent investigators look for the evidence they need to hold a negligent business responsible.
