• February 06, 2023

Temple, TX — February 4, 2023, 59-year-old Margaret Flood died in a collision with a suspected DWI driver on North Third Street in Temple.

Authorities say the incident happened shortly before 5:15 p.m. on the 3100 block of North Third at Spur 290. Preliminary investigation suggests a Ford F-150 pickup was traveling north on the roadway, allegedly weaving through traffic, when the driver lost control and veered onto the shoulder in a curve.

The Ford continued north and crossed through the lanes of Spur 290, where Flood's Chevy Traverse was stopped at a stop sign. The pickup hit the SUV's driver side, which pushed it off the road and into a nearby light pole.

Responders pronounced Flood dead at the scene. The other driver was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Specimens were collected for toxicology testing as part of a DWI investigation.

No further information is currently available.

If the allegations here are true then it's sad and frustrating to see another person added to Texas' already-growing tally of alcohol-related fatalities in 2023. The Lone Star State as a whole has serious problems with drunk driving, and it's heartbreaking how month after month, year after year I speak to people whose worlds were turned upside-down by such accidents.

For my part, I consider it important to keep accidents like this in the public eye so people realize the breadth of the problem. The fight against drunk driving in Texas isn't wholly about raising awareness, though, nor is it strictly about putting offending drunk drivers behind bars. It's about finding closure for those who need it after they or a loved one were hurt in a DWI crash, getting them what they need to move forward, and ensuring that everyone responsible for their pain—sometimes including an alcohol vendor that illegally over-served the alleged drunk driver—is held properly accountable. Ending drunk driving will be a long uphill battle, but it's certainly one worth fighting.