Maria Sanchez Charged, Others Hurt in Dallas, TX, DWI Accident
Dallas, TX -- February 10, 2017, several were injured, Maria Sanchez arrested, following an accident involving intoxication.
The Dallas Police Department were called to the intersection of South Hampton Road and West Kiest Boulevard.
Police investigators claim that 27-year-old Sanchez was traveling eastbound on Kiest in a Chevy HHR. She allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of Hampton, and a Ford on Hampton crashed into the side of her car.
The collision caused the Chevy to overturn and slam into a utility pole, knocking it down. An oncoming pickup struck the downed pole, causing wires to strike a nearby witness.
When authorities arrived, they determined that Sanchez was intoxicated at the time. She was taken to a hospital for a blood draw, after which she was charged with intoxication assault. A passenger from her vehicle suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital. The other people's conditions were not specified.
Authorities have not released any additional details regarding the accident. Their investigations are ongoing.
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Commentary
Authorities in this accident indicate that alcohol was a factor in the crash, and I'd say 10:30 p.m. on a Friday is definitely a prime time for drunk driving accidents. This is important for two distinct reasons.
For one, you've got a driver who allegedly ran a stop light, causing the accident. Under normal circumstances,this would be considered negligence, since they failed to yield the right of way to the other car. However, the fact that the driver was intoxicated at the time bumps this up to gross negligence. As a result, punishments against this person can be harsher than they would be under normal circumstances.
The other reason this is important is because it's possible there's a 3rd party that contributed to the accident. If the driver was at a bar leading up to the accident, then that bar could be held liable for the injuries sustained in the accident.
Liquor liability law in Texas states that a licensed alcohol vendor which over-serves alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person can be held liable for damages resulting from that person's intoxication. These are bars, restaurants, liquor stores, and other licensed businesses who should recognize that a customer is drunk enough that they present a clear danger to themselves or others. Despite this, they continue to serve them alcohol and create a potentially deadly hazard to the general public.
Our firm has handled many dram shop cases over nearly 30 years, and it's something many people ask us about on a daily basis. Our article below should help in delving further into this area of the law.
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It appears from the news reports, the police are doing their part to ensure that the alleged drunk driver pays for their role in this accident. When it is shown that a bar contributes to a drunk driving accident, justice demands that the bar also need to be held accountable.
--Grossman Law Offices
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