Cody Sylvest Killed in Motorcycle Accident in Abilene, TX
Abilene, TX -- June 16, 2022, Cody Sylvest was killed due to an accident where a motorcycle and a truck collided.
Investigators reported that the crash took place at around 12:30 a.m. along Arnold Boulevard north of US 84.
Officials said that 46-year-old Cody Sylvest was on a motorcycle traveling along Arnold. Somehow, the motorcycle collided with a truck pulling a trailer.
Due to the collision, Sylvest sustained fatal injuries. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Cody Sylvest Motorcycle Accident in Abilene
Information made available alleges that the victim here had a toxicology test return a .213 BAC result following the crash. To be clear, I don't bring this up to cast aspersions on a victim's memory. On the contrary, it's a concerning red flag that some local establishment may have contributed to the man's death and has yet to be held accountable.
Texas has a standard for alcohol providers that they avoid serving someone who is obviously intoxicated. If they do so, then they can be liable for injuries resulting from that person's intoxication--this is called dram shop law. Bars and other businesses can't necessarily stop someone from driving drunk, but that doesn't give them free reign to pour them drink after drink with no regard for their safety or the safety of others. That's why dram shop is an important tool for victims and families affected by negligent alcohol providers.
Again, I can't say exactly what happened here, and there could be missing information not yet available. That said, red flags here are too obvious to ignore, and I hope steps are being taken to ensure this man's loved ones are getting the full story.
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