Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

Police say a woman in her 20’s is responsible for a fatal intersection accident in Pasadena, and that the woman was fleeing the scene of a shoplifting include at Wal-Mart when the accident happened.  According to Channel 2’s video report, the suspect has made an attempt earlier at the Wal-Mart to walk out without paying for items including CDs, DVDs and baby clothes, but she was challenged and left after making an excuse.  The woman then returned to the Wal-Mart about an hour later and left the store with approximately $50-worth of stolen toys. This time Wal-Mart loss prevention followed the woman to the parking lot and challenged her, but the alleged thief assaulted the loss prevention person, pushing him/her down, then fleeing in a white Ford pickup truck.

At the intersection of Fairmont Parking and Nations Driver, the shoplifter in the pickup truck ran a red light and t-boned a red-colored SUV that was proceeding on a green light. The woman in the red SUV was pronounced dead at the scene, and the woman’s 14-year old daughter was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition. The District Attorney’s Office is assessing what charges will be brought against the shoplifter.

The shoplifter was driving this Ford pickup

The woman driving this red SUV was killed in the crash

Fairmont Parkway and Nations Drive in Pasadena, TX

A wrecker driver was injured while responding to a rollover crash on Interstate 10 East in Houston this morning.  In the initial accident at around 2:15 a.m., the driver of an SUV lost control of his vehicle and rolled over near Oates Road. Nobody was injured in the rollover wreck, however an 18-wheeler attempting to avoid the rollover accident scene hit a wrecker truck, knocking the wrecker into a Ford Mustang and a concrete wall. The big rig flipped over spilling its load onto the freeway.  Both the wrecker driver and the 18-wheeler driver were injured and transported to hospital. Two people in the SUV that rolled over fled the scene on foot.

Photo credit: Channel 2 Houston

Houston personal injury law firm for 18 wheeler accidents

Sunday December 8, 2013: Channel 2 is reporting a two vehicle accident in Sugar Land that has left one driver dead. The crash happened at around 6:40 a.m. when a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV heading southbound on Dairy Ashford ran a red light, crashing into a Dodge Charger heading westbound on Highway 90.  The driver of the Dodge Charger was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the Tahoe was taken to hospital via helicopter. The crash remains under investigation; KHOU’s report states that the police will review red light cameras as part of the inquiry.

Photo credit: Metro

The Tahoe driver reportedly ran this red light at Dairy Ashford and Hwy 90

A worker was killed yesterday when a 15-20 foot deep trench he was working in collapsed, burying him.

The crew was working to repair a broken water main near Longenbaugh and Oakfield Glen. The trench wall were not properly shored-up said Houston Fire Department, and the soft mud walls of the trench gave way while two workers were in the trench. One man was able to crawl out after the collapse but his co-worker was completely buried. It took rescue units several hours to reach the trapped man because the trench had to be properly supported before firefighters could enter. Neither worker’s name has been released; presumably OSHA will investigate since the accident involved a workplace fatality.

An awful accident has taken the life of a 14-month old baby girl and hospitalized her mother with serious injuries.

Lyndi Lolmaugh and her daughter Tesa Grace were attending a volunteer event at the Cadwalder Behavior Clinic located at 3093 Quinn Road, Tomball, Texas. Lyndi was working with a group that was putting up a Christmas tree and decorations.  As mom and daughter were leaving, a 20-foot branch fell from a tree, crushing mother and child.

Don Merwin, who was working at the clinic at the time, spoke to Channel 2 News about the tragedy, saying that he and another volunteer pulled the tree limb off Lyndi and Tesa and called 911.  A life flight helicopter transported baby Tesa to Memorial Hermann, but despite the very best efforts of 14 doctors, Tesa later died from her injuries.

Lyndi is still recovering from her injuries at the hospital: she suffered a dislocated shoulder and a broken back.  Tesa’s grandmother Diane Glenn told Channel 2 that Tesa and Lyndi were new to the area and had recently moved to start a new life.  Neither had health insurance.  What an awful loss for this poor family to endure so close to Christmas.

A fund has been set up to help Lyndi and her family with expenses. You can help by clicking here.

Witnesses say the branch fell approximately 20 feet to the pathway below

A motorcyclist was killed in an accident caused by a wrong way driver who police believe was driving drunk. The accident happened around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday November 30th on the Katy Freeway (I-10). The woman driving the car was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was arrested on intoxication manslaughter charges. Channel 2 News’ story states the driver’s name and victim’s name has not been released; a photograph on Channel 2’s web site shows a red motorcycle and what appears to be an older model Nissan Maxima.  Harris County public records show that the only female charged with intoxication manslaughter in Harris County within the past 48 hours appears to be an individual named Ashley Tran of Houston, Texas.  The same public records indicate Ms. Tran is currently in Harris County Jail and her bond has been set at $30,000.

Photo credit: Channel 2 Houston

Police are saying a driver ran a stop sign causing a major two car accident at the intersection of Holman Street and Burkett Street just south of downtown Houston. The accident happened around 11:00 p.m. on Friday November 29th. KHOU’s article quotes police as saying a light-colored car heading north on Burkett ran a stop sign and was then struck by the front of a black colored vehicle. As you can see from the pictures below, the light colored car came to rest on two wheels. At least one person was transported by ambulance.

Smith & Hassler congratulates Daragh Carter on being named to Houstonia Magazine’s Top Lawyers list for 2013. Daragh has been with Smith & Hassler since April 2006 and practices exclusively in personal injury law. Daragh is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury trial law.

Paramedics were treating a patient early Saturday morning when a truck slammed into the back of their ambulance on the North Freeway feeder road in Houston.  The truck driver and the paramedics’ patient (a dancer from Fantasy Plaza) were not injured in the crash; the two paramedics were taken to hospital in stable condition. While HPD were clearing the accident scene, traffic backed up on the opposite side of the freeway. A motorcycle rider approaching the stalled traffic was unable to stop in time and lost control of his motorbike before hitting a retaining wall. Two cars traveling behind the motorcycle then ran over the downed rider: one driver stopped and waited for police, the other kept going. The ambulance crashed happened around 2:30 a.m.

A suspected hit-and-run, drunk driver hit and killed a female pedestrian at Westheimer Rd. and Joel Wheaton Rd. last night. The woman was struck outside a shopping center around 9:30 p.m.; the driver fled the scene but his car broke down at Westheimer and Gentryside and he was arrested.  He will likely face a charge of intoxication manslaughter.