Three Injured After Car Hits House on Annie Street in Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX -- December 26, 2022, three people were injured following an accident where a vehicle crashed into a house on Annie Street.
Investigators were called to the scene at around 2:30 p.m. It happened along Annie Street, just north of East Hattie Street.
Initial details say that a Nissan Altima was traveling southbound toward Annie when it somehow ran off the side of the road. The vehicle then hopped a curb before crashing through the front of a home.
Doing so, the vehicle struck three people inside the home, identified only as a man, a woman, and a 5-year-old boy. All had injuries with the man's injuries described as incapacitating.
The driver and his passenger were not hurt, and authorities allege that the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time. While that can't be confirmed right now, it could certainly explain how a vehicle would suddenly veer off-road like this. These claims may have people content there will be consequences for this, but it's important to understand that consequences following alcohol-related incidents are never quite as simple as they may seem.
There may be plenty of incidents where someone is solely responsible for getting behind the wheel drunk and causing a crash. Oftentimes, though, those incidents have an accomplice. Under Texas law, if an alcohol provider like a bar, restaurant, or store illegally over-serves someone who's obviously intoxicated, they can be in serious trouble. This can include criminal charges to staff, administrative penalties through TABC, and even liability under dram shop law if their illegal actions lead to people getting hurt.
The reason I take the time to talk about these possibilities so often is because, quite frankly, no one else really does. Authorities certainly tend to overlook factors beyond a drunk driver's actions alone, and others in my profession seem to think they're the only ones who deserve to know the rights given to citizens in Texas. Considering those laws were written by all of our representatives, I don't see why there shouldn't be every step to make these possibilities as clear and known as possible.
So while I certainly can't comment on what did or didn't lead to this crash, are there at least steps being taken to consider all of the contributing factors and what can be done to make things right?
[jump]
