Barbara Sanchez, Antonio Martinez III Injured in Car Accident in San Antonio, TX
UPDATE (January 6, 2023): According to public information provided by officials, details suggest that a BAC test for the pickup driver allegedly responsible for the crash returned a .302 result. If that is accurate--and I have no specific reason to believe otherwise, though would wait for further confirmation--that's incredibly concerning.
Obviously, an intoxicated driver is incredibly dangerous. But when someone is nearly four times the legal limit, it often turns out they had help getting that drunk. Bars, restaurants, and other venues often have no qualms with breaking the law and recklessly over-serving people. If they did so here, and their actions contributed to people getting hurt, are any steps being taken to ensure they, too, are held appropriately accountable? Is there a business out there continuing to put the community at risk?
San Antonio, TX -- November 15, 2022, Barbara Sanchez and Antonio Martinez III were injured due to an alleged drunk driving accident.
Investigators said that the incident happened at around 9:30 p.m. along Somerset Road at SW Loop 410.
Officials said that 50-year-old Barbara Sanchez and 25-year-old Antonio Martinez III were in a Kia Spectra traveling southwest along the access road. At Somerset, police say that a Toyota Tacoma crashed into the back of the Kia.
Due to the collision, Sanchez was said to have incapacitating injuries. Martinez, the Kia driver, and the pickup driver were said to be possibly injured. Police believe that the pickup driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. Right now, additional details are unavailable.
Commentary on Barbara Sanchez, Antonio Martinez III Car Accident in San Antonio
It's always serious whenever police bring up drunk driving, but folks tend to rest assured those drivers will be held accountable for their actions. What they may not realize, however, is that there is often an accomplice to these accidents who also needs to be held accountable: a bar.
Put simply, dram shop law says that an alcohol provider who over-serves an obviously intoxicated person can be liable for damages resulting from that intoxication. By giving victims and families the tools to confront those negligent businesses, dram shop becomes an effective way to hold those businesses accountable and get them to clean up their act.
That's why, while nothing here has been confirmed, it's important to consider all contributing factors following a serious accident. Holding people appropriate accountable means ensuring there is clear evidence of their wrongdoing. Were steps taken here to look into these possibilities, or would there need to be more thorough independent investigations to bring new information to light?
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