Priscilla Juarez Killed, Two Injured in Austin, TX Car Accident on FM 973
UPDATE (July 28, 2022): Authorities have identified the victim of this accident as Priscilla Juarez. The driver that hit her vehicle was also identified as Randall Cavazos.
Austin, TX — July 27, 2022, one person died and two were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Farm to Market Road 973 in southeast Austin.
According to reports the incident happened just before midnight along FM 973 at Burleson Road. Preliminary investigation suggests that a Dodge vehicle ran a red light at high speeds and T-boned a Chevrolet SUV, causing it to overturn.
The SUV driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers from the vehicle were taken to an area hospital; one had life-threatening injuries and the other had potentially serious injuries.
Police arrested the Dodge driver on suspicion of DWI; blood tests later revealed he had approximate BAC of .10 at the time of the crash. Related charges may be pending.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Priscilla Juarez Accident on FM 973 in Austin
It's always concerning when investigators allege that intoxication played a role in a crash. It's important to look into that further for a number of reasons: Obviously it's dangerous for anyone to drive drunk, but there may also be a concerning problem if he was over-served by a local business like a bar or restaurant. That would be a violation of Texas dram shop law and could mean that business has some consequences of its own coming.
Dram shop law was created to ensure alcohol providers who continue to serve obviously intoxicated patrons face appropriate consequences. Not every DWI incident starts with a dram violation, but they're more common than many people think and they should be dealt with as soon as possible in case a bar is recklessly endangering its community.
One way or another, getting folks the help they need requires having all the facts. As blood tests seemingly confirmed the suspect was over the legal limit, those facts might include where his alcohol came from. Any further steps to take would depend mostly on what's found out during a careful and thorough investigation.
