Teen Injured in Crash with Alleged DWI Driver on Johnny Morris Rd in Austin, TX
Austin, TX — November 13, 2022, an 18-year-old woman was seriously injured in an accident with a suspected DWI driver on Johnny Morris Road in Austin.
Authorities say the incident happened around 2:40 a.m. on Johnny Morris at Point North Drive. Preliminary investigation suggests the driver of a Honda Accord attempted to turn left from Johnny Morris onto Point North but failed to yield to an oncoming Nissan Altima, causing the cars to crash in the intersection.
The Altima's teen passenger suffered serious injuries in the collision. Its two other occupants and the Honda driver were unhurt.
Investigators believed alcohol use may have been a factor in the crash and collected blood samples from the Honda driver.
No further information is currently available.
Any suggestion that someone drove under the influence is troubling, and if blood tests confirm it in Austin then serious consequences may follow for the suspect—and rightly so. Some may think his comeuppance would be the end of the matter, but he might not be the only one responsible for the serious damage done. What about whoever provided his alcohol?
Under Texas dram shop law, licensed alcohol vendors like bars and restaurants aren't allowed to continue serving a customer if they can tell that person is drunk. If they keep refilling his glass illegally and he then hurts someone while excessively drunk, the bar may be liable for the damage done.
Having said that, though, alcohol use doesn't appear proven in the Austin crash. To be sure the whole story is found investigators should look into other possible explanations—simple carelessness, vehicle malfunctions, medical emergencies, and any number of other non-alcoholic factors could have played parts. The most important thing is to find the whole truth for the people who need it, so I hope authorities took the time and care needed to do so.
