Linda Hernandez, John Escontrias Killed in Car Accident in Odessa, TX
Odessa, TX -- December 10, 2022, Linda Hernandez and John Escontrias were killed due to an accident which may have involved intoxication.
Investigators with the Odessa Police Department were called to the scene at around 1:15 a.m. The crash happened near the intersection of East 42nd Street and Parkway Boulevard.
Police believe that a Dodge Charger was traveling along East 42nd when it crossed into oncoming lanes and hit another vehicle.
The driver of that other vehicle died as a result of the crash. Authorities identified the driver as 23-year-old Linda Hernandez. 20-year-old John A. Escontrias, said to be a passenger in the Dodge, also succumbed to fatal injuries.
Police currently allege that the Dodge driver was intoxicated at this time. They say charges for Intoxication Manslaughter are pending at this time.
Commentary on Linda Hernandez, John Escontrias Car Accident in Odessa
There are serious allegations surrounding this crash, and if those allegations prove true, then surely steps will be taken to give the driver responsible their day in court. But are they the only ones involved here? Folks don't generally consider that these incidents often involve accomplices that police overlooked: alcohol providers.
In Texas, dram shop law says that an alcohol provider who over-serves an obviously intoxicated person can be responsible for their role in the accident. If that sounds a bit odd, think of it this way. When families come to me about a crash, one of the things they want the most is accountability. If they learn that a local business broke the law and contributed to their hardships, why wouldn't they want to see that business face the appropriate consequences? Among potential administrative and criminal consequences, dram shop is one potential avenue to appropriate consequences.
To be clear, I can't say how all of that applies to this incident specifically without seeing evidence for myself. I simply believe it's important to ensure those involved in serious accidents are getting all the facts. The fact there are two families out there grieving these victims only makes that more crucial.
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