Channel 13 News is reporting a fatal accident on southbound US Highway 59 near the Grand Parkway in Sugar Land. Sugar Land police department reports that the accident happened at around 11:00am today when a big rig hauling a tanker trailer of diesel fuel crashed. The diesel fuel spilled onto the highway shutting down southbound US 59 completely. The cause of the crash is under investigation according to Channel 2’s story.
A severe crash involving two pickup trucks has occurred at the 17400 block of I-45 at around 6:29AM on Sunday June 5, 2011. Two Dodge Ram pickup trucks, one heading northbound in the right lane, another going eastbound on 1960 in the outside lane. The northbound pickup truck ran the red light, t-boning the eastbound Dodge Ram causing it to flip over and come to rest on its roof. The driver of the eastbound Dodge Ram was confirmed dead at the scene. No charges had been filed however the District Attorney’s Office had sent an investigator to the scene. The drivers of the two trucks were the only occupants. The driver who ran the red light was not transported to the hospital and remained at the scene during the investigation.
Over our more than 20-years practicing personal injury law in the Houston area, Smith & Hassler has amassed great experience in handling automobile accident claims and wrongful death claims resulting from automobile collisions.
This serious 2 vehicle collision happened today around 10:45am at the US290 feeder and 43rd
A serious two car accident happened this morning at the intersection of 43rd and the US 290 eastbound feeder road. Both drivers were visibly injured, the female driver of the silver SUV was bleeding and sustained an injury to her arm. A witness who was in a furniture delivery truck that was stopped at the intersection said the driver of the red pickup truck disregarded the traffic signal striking the silver SUV. The SUV spun 180 degrees after the impact. A Houston Fire Department ambulance responded to the scene.
A serious 3 vehicle car accident happened around 7:25am this morning on John Lizer Road in Pearland near Pearland Parkway, injuring two off-duty Houston Police Department officers and a child. A white-colored Ford pickup truck driven by an off-duty HPD officer was traveling northbound on Pearland Parkway when a Chevy Trailblazer heading eastbound on John Linzer ran a red light, smashing into the pickup truck and causing it to flip over. A third vehicle (also driven by an off-duty HPD officer) was struck in the crash and sustained damage. A 2-year old child riding in the Trailblazer was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital and both of the police officers were reported to have sustained injury. Hopefully the at-fault party was properly insured and their insurance company will accept responsibility for the damage done. KHOU’s story is available here.
3 people were injured including the off-duty police officer driving this flipped Ford pickup truck
Car accidents commonly result in medical bills, lost income from work and a period of time after the accident when the injured person is in pain and is impaired from performing their normal activities. Texas law allows a person injured in a motor vehicle accident by another’s negligence to seek recovery of money damages. Speaking to an experienced Houston personal injury attorney early in the process can make the difference between a relatively straightforward claim under the other driver’s insurance policy and a real nightmare. Insurance companies will deny or undervalue claims if they have a reason to. Smith & Hassler’s trial-tested Houston personal injury attorneys will provide you with a free consultation regarding your motor vehicle accident injury claim: call now or submit your case online.
Today is Houston Police Department Officer Kevin Will’s funeral. Officer Will was killed in the line of duty Sunday, struck by a drunk driver while investigating a motorcycle accident on Houston’s North 610 Loop. Officer Will’s funeral service is to be held at Champion Forest Baptist Church and will be followed by a private burial service. 26-year old Johoan Rodriguez, driving a silver-colored Volkswagen Beetle, drove through a police barricade before fatally striking Officer Will. Rodriguez’ Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was reported to be .238 which is very nearly three times the legal limit for intoxication in the State of Texas. It is estimated Rodriguez was traveling around 80MPH when he struck Officer Will. Rodriguez also had a quantity of cocaine in his pocket at the time of his arrest. Rodriguez has been deported from the U.S. on two prior occasions and denied entry to the U.S. on one occasion: Rodriguez works construction in the Houston area. Rodriguez has been charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer, among other offenses. Prosecutors have stated Rodriguez is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang.
Officer Will leaves behind his wife who is 7-months pregnant with the couple’s first child together, a son, and also his 7 and 10 year old stepchildren.
In 2008 there were 3,382 fatalities resulting from motor vehicle accidents in the State of Texas: of those accidents 1,463 (which is 43%) were alcohol related. 1,269 of the alcohol-related fatalities involved drivers whose BAC was greater than .08, meaning they were legally intoxicated. Harris County consistently ranks top or near the top of the nation’s most heavily populated counties for DWI fatalities.
If you or a loved on have been victimized by an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident or truck accident caused by a drunk driver, call the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation. The earlier in your case you call, the better: the insurance company will want you to settle for a small amount as early as possible and have you sign a release. This will limit the insurance company’s liability and prevent them from having to pay more later. Smith & Hassler’s personal injury attorneys have aggressively represented injured people in the Houston area and throughout Texas for more than 20-years, including bereaved family members bringing wrongful death lawsuits.
2 children died riding in this Suburban carrying 16 people after an intersection collision. Centerpoint Energy cut power to the traffic signal before the wreck.
8 month old Laura Abrego and 3 year old Valeria Mendoza were killed in intersection collision in Harris County when the Suburban they were riding in collided with a Chevrolet pickup truck, causing the two children to be thrown from the Suburban. The Suburban was driven by 27-year old Brenda Mendoza and a total of 16 people occupied the Suburban at the time, 12 of them were children. The Suburban was headed northbound on the Beltway 8 feeder road when the collision happened with the Chevrolet pickup that was heading eastbound on Garrett.
Two other children in the Suburban had to be flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital. No charges were pending against either driver for the accident. Deputies reported that the traffic lights were out at the intersection at the time of the deadly crash. Investigators said CenterPoint Energy was doing work in the area and cut power to the intersection’s traffic lights at 12:37PM Sunday: the collision had occurred by 1:40PM, within an hour of the power being cut. When KPRC Local 2 contacted CenterPoint about the incident, officials said they were looking into it. News Channel 2’s story is online here.
If you have questions about how to handle your automobile accident you can speak to a personal injury attorney at Smith & Hassler for a no cost consultation. Just give our office a call or submit your case through our web site at www.smithandhassler.com
Houston Police Department is mourning the loss of one its officers after a fatal drunk driving collision on Houston’s North Loop early Sunday May 29, 2011. Officer Kevin Will was investigating a motor vehicle accident on the 610 Loop near Yale when he was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by 26-year old Johoan Rodriguez. Rodriguez is in jail and has been charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer, evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance. Every loss of life due to drunk driving is a tragedy, but especially so when the victim has a family: Officer Kevin Will is married with two children ages six and ten and his wife is six months pregnant with the couple’s third child.
Officer Will joined HPD in 2009 and had been with the vehicular crime unit for almost a year. At the time of the crash Officer Will was interviewing a witness to a hit-and-run accident when Rodriguez’ Volkswagen came around a barricade and hit Officer Will at around 3:15am. Officer Will yelled to the witness when the vehicle was looming: the witness jumped over the concrete barrier dividing the freeway and the witness said he heard the impact before he even reached the ground.
Our prayers are with Officer’s Will’s widow, his children and his colleagues. It is hard to imagine the heart-breaking task of explaining to Officer Wills’ children that their father will not be coming home. The Houston 100 Club frequently seeks donations after the on-duty death of a police officer or fireman: please consider making a donation to help Officer Wills’ family.
The Houston Chronicle’s story is here. News Channel 2’s story is here. Fox News’ story is here. Channel 13 Eyewitness News’ story is here. KHOU’s story is here.
HPD Officer Kevin Will, killed by a drunk driver on Houston's North 610 Loop. Officer Will has two young children, his wife is pregnant with their third child.
48-year old Sheila Lindsey has been identified by the Houston Chronicle as the victim of the latest Harris County drunk driving incident resulting in a fatality. Ms. Lindsey worked as a custodian for the Harris County Toll Road Authority and was performing her job duties late Wednesday May 25th, 2011 when a Chevrolet Camaro driven by a 38-year old bartender named Julie Little crashed into a concrete barrier, went airborne and struck Ms. Lindsey, presumably killing her instantly. Ms. Lindsey is the first Harris County Toll Road Authority employee to be killed while on the job. The Houston Chronicle’s story sets out a glowing picture of Ms. Lindsey whose coworkers say she was very well liked, friendly, caring, always ready to help others out and was known to always have a big, bright smile. Ms. Lindsey was assigned to the North Sam Houston Tollway toll plaza.
The driver of the Camaro, Julie Little, was arrested around 1:00pm on Thursday May 26th by Harris County Constables at a home in Montgomery County. A blood draw was taken from Little after the crash because investigating officers could smell alcohol on her. It was subsequently determined that Little’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was .165 which is more than twice Texas’ legal limit for intoxication, which is .08. It was also determined that Ms. Little had no less than 3 narcotics in her system also.
The Precinct 4 Contable’s office has said that investigators are going to examine the 2011 Camaro’s black box to download crash data and determine how fast the Camaro was traveling at the time of the deadly crash. Little had bought the Camaro only three days before the crash. Indications are that the Camaro was traveling at a very high rate of speed and that Little made no attempt to brake. Assistant Chief Mark Herman with Precinct 4 Constables said that the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) was also assisting in the investigation because Little is supposedly a bartender in Harris County, and if Little were intoxicated while she was on the job that would be illegal. If the TABC investigation were to reveal that Little was intoxicated while working at a bar prior to the accident, there may be liability on the bar for Ms. Lindsey’s death.
This incident is a prime example of the tragic consequence that can result from a person’s selfish decision to drive while intoxicated. Our condolences to Ms. Lindsey’s friends, family and co-workers for their loss.
A toll booth worker died yesterday evening in a single vehicle car accident according to a Channel 13 Eyewitness News report when the driver of a black Camaro heading westbound on the Sam Houston Tollway crashed his sports car. The accident happened at around 11:00pm. Apparently the Camaro driver crashed into a heavy concrete barrier designed to protect the toll booth and the Camaro went airborne and then crashed down onto the toll employee who was standing next the booth in a closed toll lane. The employee was knocked 50 yards by the impact and was pronounced dead at the scene: the Camaro slid to a stop and came to rest on its roof. The Camaro driver was taken to the hospital in stable condition and tests will be performed to see if he had alcohol in his system at the time of the wreck.
Toll booth areas tend to be open area that are usually very well lit at night time and signs approaching toll booths tell drivers to slow down as they approach. It is difficult to see how a driver paying proper attention to the road ahead and traveling at an appropriate speed could be involved in an accident such as this. Precinct 4 Constables are investigating the cause of the accident and the Toll Road Authority is working to repair a wrecked toll booth. A report by Channel 2 News identifies the driver of the Camaro as being female, not male, and states the Camaro was speeding prior to the deadly crash.
If you have been injured in an automobile accident and will be making an injury claim under the other driver’s automobile insurance policy, there is a simple step you can take that will help document your claim. If you have sustained bruising, a laceration, have had stitches (including from a surgery) or as is with common with motorcycle accidents, road rash, or have other obvious injuries you can and should take photographs to document these injuries. Bruises heal fairly rapidly so you should document them before they fade away.
Here’s an example of how documenting injuries can help. “Dashboard knee” is an injury that car accident victims may experience, sometimes causing damage to their Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), a ligament that helps stabilize the knee joint. Meniscus injuries in the knee can also be caused by direct trauma to the knee. By photographing bruising to the knee area an injured person has documented evidence of direct trauma to the knee that is consistent with internal damage to the knee. If a test such as an MRI later shows an internal knee injury, the photographs of the bruising are further support that the knee injury was a result of the car accident.
If you were taken to the emergency room or saw a doctor close in time to your car accident, you may think that the photographs are unnecessary because your bruises will be documented in your medical records. Unfortunately that is not always the case: just because you complain about pain to a part of your body does not necessarily mean your complaints will be recorded in your medical records. Likewise one part of your body may hurt much more than others, and your complaints may be focussed on the most painful part. Also bruises do not always show themselves right away but might appear after you have been discharged from the emergency room.
If you do take pictures to document injuries, you will probably be using a digital camera. A digital photographs costs you nothing, so take plenty of pictures. Make sure the pictures are well-lit but also make sure that if you are using a flash, the flash does not white-out the details, bruises, etc. Make sure a few pictures are taken showing the injured person’s face and injured body part in the same shot to avoid any accusations that the bruised knee could be anybody’s.
If you have questions about how to handle your automobile accident injury claim you can speak to a personal injury attorney at Smith & Hassler for a no cost consultation. Just give our office a call or submit your case through our web site at www.smithandhassler.com