Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

There was a fatal car accident yesterday on Westheimer at Stoney Brook Drive and police think the crash may have been the result of road rage. The accident happened at around 7:00 a.m. Thursday October 11th. A black-colored Acura coupe crashed into a pole causing a passenger, Samantha Dorsey, to be ejected. Witnesses told reporters for KHOU Channel 11 News that the driver and passengers in the Acura got into an argument with the driver and passengers of a yellow or gold-colored Ford Mustang after one party dinged the other party’s car door. The occupants of the Acura left the Wal-Mart parking lot and the Mustang followed, at some point swerving toward the Acura and throwing bottles at it. Houston homicide detectives are looking for the driver of the Mustang: a witness attempted CPR on Ms. Dorsey, the ejected passenger, but she died at the hospital. Channel 2’s report is here. Channel 13’s story here.

Photo credit: KHOU

Photo credit: KHOU

Samantha Dorsey. Photo credit: Facebook

Sadly Harris County has lost yet another member of our community to a drunk driving accident.

According to various media reports, 21-year old Tomas Ortiz, Jr. has admitted to speeding in excess of 100 miles-per-hour immediately before rear-ending a pickup truck on Clinton Drive at Crown Street in Galena Park at about 10:00 p.m. last night.  Sergeant S. Wolverton with Harris County Sheriff’s Department told Channel 2 reporters that Ortiz reached about 110 MPH when he began to lose control of his vehicle. Ortiz claims he eased off the accelerator at that time and may have slowed to around 75 to 80 MPH when he hit the pickup truck.

When Ortiz’ white Dodge Challenger rear-ended the pickup, the pickup’s driver Elias Hernandez lost control, hit a concrete barrier and went into a creek.  Five people were in the pickup truck at the time of the accident: Elias’ 57-year old wife Laura was killed in the accident.  Two other adults and a 1-year old child were sent to LBJ Hospital in serious but stable condition.  A passenger in Ortiz’ Dodge Challenger suffered minor injuries and was treated and released.

Tomas Ortiz, Jr. was arrested and has been charged with intoxication manslaughter. Channel 2’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here. Channel 11’s report is here.

Tomas Ortiz, Jr.'s wrecked Dodge Challenger

Elias' Hernandez' pickup truck

Sadly another person has fallen victim to Houston’s chronic problem with drunk drivers. Aresha Griffin was a passenger in a car driven by 29-year old Tocarra Dubor that was driving on Richmond Avenue near Jeanetta in Houston early Sunday morning. The car slammed into the driver’s side rear fender of a Houston Police Department patrol unit, causing the Dubor vehicle to veer off the road and into a parking lot.  Police say Griffin was killed when she was slammed into a tree by the out-of-control vehicle. Dubor has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash. According to Channel 2’s report, the police officer was not injured. Thank goodness the officer wasn’t standing next to the police car.

Tocarra Dubor is charged with intoxication manslaughter

Although details are sparse, local news is reporting that a worker was killed yesterday in an industrial accident at the Stolthaven Houston plant in southeast Harris County. Around noon a piece of heavy construction equipment shifted, pinning the worker against a wall. Other workers used a bulldozer for pull the earth mover away from the pinned worker so paramedics could reach him. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Because there was an on-the-job fatality OSHA will investigate the incident. The Stolthaven facility is located at 15602 Jacintoport Boulevard. The 40-year old worker’s name has not yet been released. Channel 13’s report is here.

The arrow point to the earth mover that pinned the worker

Scene of yesterday's accident

A hit-and-run accident in Montgomery County last night leaves one person dead and another critically injured. The crash happened at approximately 9:00 p.m. on FM 2978 and Hardin Store Road in The Woodlands. According to an account of the accident reported by Channel 2, the sequence of events leading up to the crash was that a Nissan passed a pickup truck, the pickup truck then rear-ended the Nissan, the pickup truck entered a ditch before crossing the roadway and striking a third vehicle, then the driver fled from the accident scene. Channel 2’s report states the Nissan was split in two in the crash, and that the driver of the Nissan, 22-year old Steve Fullerton, was killed. Third vehicle involved that was struck by the pickup was a white Chevrolet Suburban driven by Justin Smith: Smith was reported to be in critical condition at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Police are searching for the driver of the pickup truck. That driver faces at least one charge for failure to stop and render aid.

Steve Fullerton's severely damaged Nissan

Justin Smith, driver of this Chevy Suburban, was critically injured