Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

Police believe drunk driving was to blame for yet another fatal accident in the Houston area. At around midnight last night a 29-year old male driver and his 34-year old male passenger were traveling on the Southwest Freeway (US 59) near Edloe in a Nissan 350z sports car when the driver lost control and crashed into the concrete median. The sports car flipped over the median, rolled over, and landed in the beginning of the HOV lane, sliding down the freeway. The passenger was ejected in the accident and his body slid around 150 feet: he was pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver of the Nissan refused a breathalyzer test, however we are in a no refusal period through July 4th, so one way or the other police will obtain an alcohol test from the driver. Channel 13’s report of the accident is here.

The 34-year old man riding as a passenger in the Nissan 350z was pronounced dead at the scene

The Nissan flipped after hitting the median, ejecting the passenger

Police are investigating to determine whether drunk driving was a factor in a head-on car accident last night.  At around 11:00pm the driver of a silver-colored Ford Mustang crashed into a vehicle in an apartment complex parking lot.  The driver then fled the scene of that accident, heading westbound on Beverly Hill Street when he crashed head-on into a Toyota Tundra pickup truck at the Fountainview intersection, about a mile from the scene of the accident in the parking lot. The driver of the Mustang attempted to flee but police were able to apprehend him.  Channel 2’s story says the driver of the Toyota Tundra was not seriously hurt, and the driver of the silver Mustang was taken to hospital in stable condition and was to be transported downtown for a blood draw and further questioning.

The driver of this Ford Mustang crashed into a Toyota Tundra head-on, then tried to flee

A speeding driver who is suspected of driving drunk died in an accident early this morning when he crashed into the rear of a Houston Fire Department ambulance that was stopped on Kempwood Drive at Ryson Street to pick up a patient. Two paramedics were getting out of the ambulance when they heard screeching tires.  They then saw a young man driving a white-colored Nissan Altima approaching at an estimated speed of 80MPH, in a residential area no less.  One of the paramedics was able to react quickly enough to jump clear before the collision, but the other jumped back into the driver’s seat before the Altima struck the ambulance. That paramedic was transported to the hospital for observation. The driver of the Nissan Altima had to be rescued by Houston Fire Department because he was trapped inside his severely damaged car: he was rushed to Ben Taub hospital but did not survive. The driver has been identified as 21-year old David Lopez. Police said drunk driving was definitely a factor in causing the accident.  Channel 11’s story is here. Channel 2’s story is here. Channel 13’s story is here. FOX News’ story is here. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

A paramedic working on this ambulance was taken to the hospital for observation

This white Nissan Altima was thought to be traveling at 80MPH in a residential area before the crash

The attorneys at Smith & Hassler practice exclusively in personal injury and have handled many serious injury and wrongful death claims resulting from the negligence and gross negligence of drunk drivers. Smith & Hassler believes a drunk driver should bear the cost of their actions, not the injured victim.  You can contact Smith & Hassler any time day or night and ask to speak directly to an attorney about your drunk driving injury claim.

Casimiro Campos stands charged with his fifth Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) offense in connection with a crash that killed a 46-year old woman. Campos, 64, was first charged with drunk driving in Harris County more than 20 years ago, the racked up another 3 additional DWI charges. On Thursday May 24th Campos was charged with felony murder in the death of Amelia Perez. The crash happened May 23rd on South Post Oak at around 2:00p.m.  Amelia Perez was riding in the front passenger seat of Campos’ SUV. While other drivers involved in the accident were moving their vehicles into a nearby parking lot, Campos’ Chevrolet Suburban accelerated and crashed into a convenience store building. Campos then drove along the side of the building before leaving the parking lot and hitting the concrete bank of a drainage ditch on Anderson Road. Ms. Perez was thrown through the windshield of the Suburban: she died later at Memorial Hermann Hospital. The Houston Chronicle’s article is here. Channel 13’s story is here.

Casimiro Campos

Insurance adjusters try to settle DWI accident injury claims quickly because insurance companies view these as higher value claims. Don’t allow yourself to be talked into a small, early settlement by an insurance company: call Smith & Hassler and ask to speak to an attorney for a no-charge consultation.

A 56-year old man was killed last night in a major hit-and-run accident at the intersection of Harwin Drive and Fondren Road, and police are looking for the female driver who caused the deadly crash.

Houston police say a woman was driving a newer model silver-colored Nissan Pathfinder SUV at around 2:00am last night when she ran a red light at the intersection, t-boning a red pickup truck that was waiting to make a turn on Fondren Road.  The Pathfinder was apparently speeding because the impact was sufficient to shove the red pickup truck through the intersection and flip it onto its roof.

Investigators say the woman driver briefly checked on the 56-year old man who was trapped inside the pickup truck. Instead of helping the man she had just crashed into, the woman and her male passenger fled the scene on foot.  Houston Police Department is confident however that they will be able to identify the woman who was driving the Pathfinder.  Sergeant D. Thomas with HPD told reporters that they have fingerprints lifted from the Pathfinder and also DNA from the driver and passenger side airbags which deployed in the wreck.

Emergency responders tried to save the trapped man inside the pickup truck but he had already died from his injuries.  The name of the man in the pickup truck has not yet been released.

If you have information that may help police identify the driver of the Nissan Pathfinder or her passenger, please call the HPD hit and run unit at 713 247 4065 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713 222 TIPS.  Crash investigators believe the couple in the Nissan Pathfinder fled because they had just left a nearby club and the woman was probably driving while intoxicated. The woman is described as Hispanic and between the ages of 20 and 25.

This is an absolute disgrace: hopefully HPD will get the driver of the Pathfinder quickly identified and in custody. Our sympathies to the friends and family of the victim in the red pickup truck.

Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here. FOX News’ report can be read here. Channel 2’s coverage of the hit-and-run is here.

ABC Channel 13 News is reporting that Joana Jaqueline Rodriguez has been charged with aggravated assault and is accused of driving drunk and trying to run down a police officer with her car when the officer tried to arrest her. On May 20^th police were responding to a trespassing call at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Wirt Road. An officer arrived and reportedly found Ms. Rodriguez intoxicated.  30-year old Ms. Rodriguez got into her vehicle and started the engine, then refused to exit the vehicle when instructed to do so. She was then placed under arrest for public intoxication, and when the officer tried to remove her from the vehicle she put the vehicle in reverse and hit the accelerator. The officer was then pinned between the vehicle door and the passenger compartment as the vehicle traveled in circles.  Police say Rodriguez then put the vehicle in drive and tried to run over the officer, but the officer was able to take shelter between apartment buildings.  Rodriguez fled with the officer’s handcuffs still attached to one of her wrists.  Rodriguez’ vehicle was found at another apartment complex across the street and inside it were items that identified Rodriguez, including her passport.