Francisco Orozco Injured in Car Accident in Harris County, TX
Harris County, TX -- December 10, 2022, Francisco Orozco was injured due to an accident where a vehicle struck him, then allegedly fled.
Information made public by officials showed that the crash happened just after midnight in the area of Aldine Westfield Road and Mierianne Street.
It appears that 36-year-old Francisco Orozco was in a Nissan Frontier traveling southbound along Aldine Westfield. It appears a northbound Toyota pickup drifted out of its lane and crashed into Orozco's vehicle. The Toyota then reportedly left the scene.
Orozco was said to have non-incapacitating injuries due to the crash. The Toyota driver appears to have been identified by authorities, and it seems there are pending charges for Failure to Stop and Render Aid. They also say that they suspect that driver was under the influence of alcohol, but this has not yet been confirmed.
While I certainly don't know more than anyone else about this specific incident (let alone the authorities), it wouldn't exactly be shocking to see alcohol was a factor here. Frankly, it's a common reason that motorists flee the scene of an accident. But what can really be done about that? It often occurs that authorities don't file drunk driving charges because they have trouble actually proving the suspect was drunk while operating the vehicle, as opposed to drinking after they fled, for example.
But that's not necessarily the only way to confirm drunk driving after a hit-and-run. Sometimes, there is circumstantial evidence that can prove convincing to the standards of civil law, such as receipts showing how many drinks were purchased, surveillance footage showing an intoxicated person get into their vehicle prior to the accident, witness testimony from the accident scene, etc.
That's why independent investigations into hit-and-runs can sometimes be helpful alongside the work authorities are already doing. More than anything, I find that folks who come to me for help simply want all the facts known, especially when someone wrongs them. The question, then, is if proper steps are being taken here to ensure there is a record of what all led to these events and who's responsible.
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