Two Injured in Alleged DWI Accident on FM 1485 in New Caney, TX
New Caney, TX — June 12, 2022, two people were seriously injured in a crash with a pickup truck on FM 1485 in New Caney.
According to reports the incident happened around 2:00 a.m. on FM 1485 near Wren Road. Preliminary investigation suggests a Ford F-150 was traveling south on the roadway when a Mazda 3 reportedly failed to yield the right-of-way and U-turned directly into its path. The pickup hit the Mazda in its passenger side, causing it to spin out into a nearby ditch.
The Mazda's driver and passenger suffered serious injuries in the crash; investigators say both were intoxicated by alcohol at the time. The Ford driver was unhurt.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Car Accident on FM 1485 in New Caney
Police thought alcohol was involved in this crash. Whether they found evidence or it was just a strong suspicion is unclear, but if they're serious then they should take steps to confirm that. That usually means either drawing blood for testing or getting the injured suspect's hospital paperwork. Preliminary reports don't mention either being done, but neither would surprise me.
If evidence ultimately confirms investigators' suspicions then some might think the only thing left is to charge the driver accordingly, but there could be more to look into. For example, if a local alcohol provider over-served the driver and got him too drunk to operate his car correctly, that business may be responsible for both his and his passenger's injuries under Texas dram shop law.
However, it's important not to ignore other possibilities just because intoxication is suspected. For instance, could the driver have lost control due to a medical emergency? Could the car have blown a tire or had a mechanical failure? Was the road wet or hazardous at that intersection? What were lighting and visibility like in the area?
Those are just a few of many concerns to address to make sure the whole story is learned. If police already have tunnel vision about intoxication and don't plan to consider other possible factors (including a dram shop violation as explained in the link above), maybe independent investigators should take another look.
