Gavino Rodriguez, 2 Injured in Car Accident in Hidalgo County, TX
Hidalgo County, TX — October 27, 2023, Gavino Rodriguiez and two others were injured following an alleged drunk driver accident at 9:21 p.m. on Tower Road.
Investigations said that the collision occurred at the intersection of Tower Road and Wisconsin Road in the area of Muniz.
According to officials, 33-year-old Gavino Rodriguez and a 30-year-old woman were in a Ford F-150 said to be going northbound along Tower Road. At Wisconsin, an eastbound car allegedly disregarded the stop sign, and the two vehicles collided. This led to Rodriguez's pickup overturning off-road.
While Gavino Rodriguez reportedly had non-incapacitating injuries, the passenger in the pickup was said to have more serious injuries. The other driver's injuries were not said to be serious. Authorities allege that driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time, and there recommendations for a DWI charge and an open container charge.
I haven't seen authorities mention anything about investigating where the driver got their alcohol. Allegedly having an open container generally suggests a store of some sort (as opposed to a bar or restaurant), which folks don't always considering in these situations. Alcohol providers can be in trouble if they over-serve someone who's obviously intoxicated, but if they are sober when they buy it, then drink it later, it wouldn't be reasonable for a business to be on the hook for that.
But it might surprise people to see how many of my personal injury cases against alcohol providers were against business selling closed containers. Drunk people can and often do go to stores to keep things going, and if a business fails to cut them off, they should be held as responsible as any bar or restaurant would for doing the same. But right now, it's going to take more evidence to say whether or not there are parties besides the allegedly drunk driver alone who needs to answer for their actions.
