• July 06, 2022

Donna, TX — June 14, 2022, a 24-year-old man was injured in a single-vehicle accident off U.S. Highway 83 in Donna.

According to reports the incident happened around 10:30 p.m. on the eastbound US-83 frontage road near Val Verde Road. Preliminary investigation suggests a 29-year-old woman was driving a Toyota Avalon sedan west on the westbound US-83 frontage road when she allegedly tried to pass through the U-turn lane at too high a speed. The car made the turnaround into the eastbound frontage road but the driver lost control, left the road to the south, and crashed into a utility pole.

The car's passenger suffered serious injuries in the wreck. The driver was reportedly unhurt.

Investigators suspected the driver of being under the influence of alcohol. Blood samples were collected for testing.

No further information is available at this time.

Commentary on Car Accident off US-83 in Donna

It's always concerning when investigators mention that alcohol may have played a role in a crash. To be clear it's only a theory unless they find specific evidence (like positive blood test results), but looking into that possibility is important for a number of reasons. Obviously it's dangerous for anyone to drive drunk, but a local business may also have broken the law by selling or serving too many drinks to the driver.

That's dealt with by dram shop law, which says any business that illegally over-serves its customers may be liable for the damage they cause or suffer while drunk. In the Donna crash, for example, a bar or restaurant that over-served the driver might have a duty to help her passenger recover from his injuries.

Not every DWI wreck starts with a dram violation, but they're more common than many people think and they must be addressed to ensure law-breaking businesses knock that bad behavior off. If police don't have the time or inclination to find out whether a dram violation happened here, then an independent investigation might be of more use to the victim.