Driver Injured in Single-Vehicle Crash on US-82 in Clay County, TX
Clay County, TX — July 23, 2022, a 66-year-old Arizona man was seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 82 in Clay County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 12:30 p.m. on US-82 near Klien Road. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim was driving a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup southwest on the highway, having just entered the main lanes from a ramp. The driver allegedly failed to maintain a single lane and drifted into the west bar ditch, then over-corrected. The pickup spun out through the roadway and overturned in the median, where it came to rest on its roof.
The driver suffered serious injuries in the crash. Investigators alleged he was under the influence of alcohol and collected blood samples for testing.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Clay County Auto Accident on US-82
People tend to have a less than charitable view of drunk drivers--understandable given the dangers they tend to pose to themselves and others, but anyone can make a mistake. Any DWI crash victim, even the suspected drunk driver, deserves all the help they can get with the long road to recovery. I'm not arguing they shouldn't be held responsible; to the contrary, I (and the law) believe everyone responsible for the crash and the injuries that followed should be held accountable. That's why it's important to 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--even to himself--while under the influence. As big a hazard as drunk drivers are, a business creating them wholesale and then sending them out onto local roads is far more dangerous. A dram shop claim against such a reckless alcohol vendor lets DWI accident victims seek much-needed help and also makes sure the business learns a harsh lesson about valuing safety over a bigger tab.
Unfortunately dram violations don't get much attention from police. If a bar may have over-served the Clay County victim before his major accident, proving that may need investigation above and beyond police efforts. With the right allies, many victims and families have held bad alcohol providers properly accountable for the damage they helped cause.
