Mason Todd Geis Dies in Plano, TX, Single-Vehicle Accident
Plano, TX -- January 31, 2017. Mason Todd Geis was killed as the result of an accident where his car crashed off-road.
The Plano Police Department was called to the accident scene at around 1:30 a.m. They say it occurred near the intersection of K Avenue and East Spring Creek Parkway.
According to their preliminary investigations, 25-year-old Geis was traveling northbound down K Avenue in a Chevy Camero. For reasons unclear, the Camero drifted off the side of the road, striking a curb and running off-road. This caused the car to overturn repeatedly down an embankment.
As a result of the crash, Geis was fatally injured and died at the scene. No other people were involved.
Police have yet to determine what factors may have contributed to the accident. Their investigations are ongoing.
Map of the Area
Commentary
I've seen all too many accidents like this one occur over the years, and what many people may not realize is just how many things can cause a crash like this one. Most people will read these early reports and automatically assume that the driver was at fault. The unfortunate reality is that this is very common. Many drivers run off the road--especially at night--due to things like texting and driving, intoxication, falling asleep at the wheel, or otherwise being distracted or impaired.
However, just because these things are common does not mean they apply to all single-vehicle accidents. I know from years of experience just how many different factors can cause a crash, many of which are beyond a driver's control. Tire blowouts, road hazards, poor weather, other dangerous vehicles that flee the scene--these are just a few of the scenarios that can cause a crash like this.
These kinds of factors aren't all that common, though, so many people just rule them out without a second thought. When someone is hurt or killed in a crash, every step must be taken to ensure a thorough investigation is done. A thorough investigation is not a preliminary police report that only looks at obvious or common factors. A thorough investigation examines all of the possible factors regardless of how common they are.
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Without an extensive, independent investigation, these kinds of things can easily fall through the cracks. My point here is not that drivers are never to blame for a single-car accident, but rather that they aren't always to blame. Everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt until all of the facts come to light. Making assumptions based on incomplete evidence only serves to further harm those affected by the incident.
--Grossman Law Offices
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