• July 06, 2022

Arlington, TX — June 16, 2022, 48-year-old Michael Patino was injured in a single-vehicle accident on Russell Curry Road in Arlington.

According to reports the incident happened around 12:45 a.m. on Russell Curry near Eden Road. Preliminary investigation suggests Patino was driving a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup south on the roadway when he allegedly failed to maintain his lane. The pickup ran off the road and entered a ditch, then struck a tree.

Patino suffered serious injuries in the wreck. Blood tests later showed he had a BAC of .11 at the time.

No further information is available at this time.

Commentary on Michael Patino Accident in Arlington

Blood tests seem to confirm alcohol was involved here. Some may think that just means the driver will be charged accordingly, but knowing intoxication was a factor means there may be other issues to address.

For one thing, criminal punishment won't help the injured man get back on his feet. Any DWI crash victim, even the suspected drunk driver, deserves whatever assistance they can get with the long road to recovery. That's why it's important the people affected by those crashes know about Texas dram shop law.

Under dram shop law, licensed alcohol providers who over-serve an obviously intoxicated person may be liable for injuries he causes or suffers while under the influence. A dram shop claim against a reckless bar lets DWI accident victims seek much-needed help and makes sure the offending business faces consequences for endangering its customers and the public.

Unfortunately, I've learned over the years that police don't look too long or too hard for law-breaking businesses. If a bar or other vendor may have contributed to the victim's injuries with over-service then it's often better to seek proof of that independently with the right allies' help. Armed with receipts, witness statements, security footage, and other evidence, many folks have successfully held bad alcohol providers accountable for the damage they had a hand in.