Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

A driver was trapped this morning when a Budget box truck crashed into a passenger car in an accident on the Gulf Freeway near Almeda Genoa. The accident happened during the morning rush hour just after 8:30am in the southbound lanes. The Budget truck ran partially on top of the car, and the car’s driver was transported to hospital in an unknown condition.  The scene was cleared in about an hour. Channel 11 report.

The driver of this car was trapped after being struck by a Budget truck this morning

Channel 2 is reporting that a person was killed this morning in an accident involving a crane collapse.  The accident happened around 10:00am this morning at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe. Construction crews are currently rebuilding the store after it was damaged in an arson fire in October 2011. Police say the crane was in the process of hoisting a portion of the store wall when the collapse happened. The cause of the crane collapse is under investigation. FOX News’ report indicates that a worker was seriously injured in the accident, but does not mention a fatality.

A person was killed today when a crane collapsed at the Garden Ridge store in Conroe

A pedestrian is in hospital in serious but stable condition after a hit-and-run accident at the Star Stop gas station and convenience store at 102 Cavalcade Street in Houston. According to FOX News’ story, two men were walking in the parking lot of the Star Stop around 4:15am Friday when a black SUV struck and ran over one of the men. The other man was able to jump out of the way and avoid being run over. A tow truck driver attempted to chase down the SUV but it would not stop: the driver is described as a bald, white male. Another witness told police he saw the two men and the SUV driver arguing near the door of the Star Stop before the hit-and-run, so the SUV driver may have intentionally struck the pedestrian.

A car accident claimed three lives in west Houston yesterday when a Ford Mustang and Toyota Corolla collided on North Eldridge Parkway just north of the Katy Freeway. Channel 2 quotes police as saying that the blue colored Mustang was traveling on North Eldridge when the car hit a patch of water causing the driver to lose control. The Mustang was then t-boned by a Toyota Corolla coming from the opposite direction: the Mustang driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Corolla and a passenger were rushed to the hospital where they later died: the names of the people who died have not been released. Channel 13’s report of the accident states that a third vehicle, a pickup truck, was also involved in the collision, and that a fourth person involved was hospitalized.

Three people were killed in a collision between a Ford Mustang and Toyota Corolla on North Eldridge Parkway

Houston police are investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred yesterday morning in the Houston medical center. Jennifer Young, 30, was struck and killed by an Acura MDX as she was crossing the street. Jennifer was seven-months pregnant at the time.  She was rushed to Memorial Hermann hospital where doctors performed an emergency c-section to save her baby: the baby remains in critical condition. After the baby was delivered, Jennifer was pronounced dead.  According to Channel 11’s story, police say that Jennifer was crossing the street in the 6300 block of Main Street around 9:20am: police said the Acura had the green light and was proceeding southbound when the vehicle next to the Acura stopped, presumably to allow Jennifer to cross.  The Acura did not stop however, and struck Jennifer. The driver of the Acura was questioned at the scene and released.  Channel 2’s story is here.

What should have been a pleasurable Father’s Day afternoon leisure flight turned tragic for three family members this weekend.  Fred Blair (68), Matilda Blair (32) and 3-year old Andrew Blair perished in a glider crash at Highway 36 and Cougar Road near the Austin-Fort Bend County line. According to investigators the glider was being towed by another plane shortly before the crash. When the towing plane released the glider around 5:00pm, the glider nosedived and crashed into a planted field. Glen Longlion with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told reporters that witness accounts had the glider pitch up the right and to the left, indicating the glider may have been out of control. Fred Blair was a gliding instructor and certified as a commercial pilot according to the Greater Houston Gliding Association. Matilda Blair was Fred’s daughter-in-law and Andrew Blair was Fred’s grandson. To compound the tragedy, family members were nearby and watching at the time the glider crashed. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 13’s report, available here, states that the glider involved in the crash is a ICA Brasov type glider, constructed in a tandem formation, meaning one seat is behind the other (as opposed to two seats next to one another). This article quotes Tom Latson with the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) as saying the glider was at approximately 75 feet off the ground when the tow rope broke, something that is not mentioned in Channel 11’s report. Channel 13 says that records show the glider is registered to the Greater Houston Soaring Association, whose web site http://www.houstonsoaring.org/ is currently down for maintenance. FOX News story is available here. The Houston Chronicle’s story is available here. Channel 2’s story is available here.

The crashed ICA-Brasov glider is removed to be inspected by the NTSB.

According to police a speeding Hyundai slammed into the back of an empty SUV being pulled behind a wrecker on E. Orem near Webercrest. The Hyundai hit the SUV hard enough to shove it forward into the wrecker. Channel 13’s story says the wrecker driver was not hurt in the accident but the driver of the Hyundai was taken to the hospital in serious condition.

The driver of this Hyundai was taken to hospital after rear-ending a towed SUV

Around 5:30pm Sunday 12-year old Eddie Teran was riding on a golf cart with his uncle James Teran, 36, at the River Plantation golf course in Conroe. When they went to cross a bridge the golf cart hit an ornate wooden railing on a covered bridge, the railing gave way and the boy, his uncle and the golf cart went over the side of the bridge, falling about 30 feet. Channel 13’s story is here. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here. The Montgomery County Courier article is here. Channel 11’s story is here.

The Chronicle’s article indicates James Teran suffered serious injury, including a badly broken leg and a fractured skull. The Montgomery County Police Reporter states this was the second time such an accident has happened in the part few months: previously a teenage boy in a golf cart transporting soft drinks at a golf tournament crashed through the railing.

Given that the bridge is intended for golf cart traffic one would think the would be fall protection in place for open-sided golf carts passing over such a high bridge. The Montgomery County Police Reporter article describes the railing as “not much more than a porch railing,” which is clearly unsuitable for a bridge designed to carry golf carts because it is not a question of if a golf cart would hit the railing, it is a question of when. Jim Teran, Eddie’s grandfather and James’ father, told the Montgomery County Courier that it is easy for the tires of a golf cart to become stuck in the boards on the bridge, causing the driver’s ability to steer to be affected.

Jamie Teran is tended to by paramedics after his golf cart crashed through an ornamental railing

The golf cart fell about 30 feet to the stream below, seriously injuring Jamie and his nephew

A wooden railing to the side of this covered bridge gave way allowing the golf cart to fall

Police say a minivan driver caused a 3 vehicle accident on Harwin near Beltway 8 when he ran a red light. Police say the minivan hit an SUV, causing the SUV to roll over and land on top of a car carrying on off duty Houston police officer. According to Channel 13’s story, two people were treated for minor injuries at the scene and the police officer wasn’t hurt. Hopefully the driver of the minivan has plenty of insurance, it sounds like this accident totaled a couple of vehicles, or at least caused them major damage.