Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

Speeding may be responsible for a single car accident on Hoffman at Colfax that killed three people and injured a fourth person. The driver lost control of the car, jumped a ditch and smashed into a tree. Two occupants of the vehicle were ejected and two remained trapped in the severely damaged vehicle. Neighbor Richy Garcia who went to the accident scene after hearing the crash said the vehicle was so badly damaged you couldn’t tell if it was a car or a truck. Investigators are trying to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the crash. Channel 13’s report on the accident is here. Channel 2’s report is here. The Houston Chronicle’s report is here.

Officers inspect the severely damaged vehicle after the crash on Hoffman at Colfax

William Thomas Johnson, 48, of Houston has been charged with intoxication manslaughter for his involvement in a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday that claimed the life of a 43-year old man driving a Volkswagen Jetta (see our previous blog post on the crash). Police say Johnson was drunk when he ran a red light crashing into the Jetta and striking other vehicles also. The pickup initially struck the passenger side of the blue Volkswagen Jetta, then struck three other vehicles that were heading westbound on Tidwell.

The crash happened at the intersection of the Eastex Freeway service road and Tidwell. Johnson reportedly was traveling at considerable speed when he entered the intersection: one witness estimated Johnson’s speed to be between 60 and 80 MPH. Video footage on Channel 11’s web site shows a newer model silver-colored pickup truck truck flipped over onto its passenger side, though it is not clear if that flipped truck is Johnson’s or one of the motorists he struck.

The driver of this Volkswagen Jetta was killed in the collision

For more than 23-years Smith & Hassler has represented the victims of intoxicated driving. If you have suffered due to a drunk driver’s selfish choices we want to help.

On April 5th we posted to this blog regarding a fatal drunk driving collision on the Tomball Parkway. Today Channel 11 News reports on their web site that the bond has been reduced for Amanda Lynn Woods, the driver charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash. 22-year old Amanda Woods, who lists her employer on what appears to be her Facebook page, as Barney’s Billiard Saloon in Humble, Texas, has been charged with intoxicated manslaughter for the death of April Herrington, the driver of a Kia car that was struck by Woods’ pickup truck when Woods ran a red light.  Woods has also been charged with two counts of intoxication assault for injuring the two occupants of a Toyota Celica she collided with. Woods remains under a $30,000 bond for the intoxication manslaughter charge, but bond was reduced on the two assault charges from $30,000 to $15,000.

Harris County deputy Sheriffs say Woods was drunk when she ran a red light at the Tomball Parkway and Boudreaux intersection. Reportedly Woods told officers that she worked at a billiards hall in Humble and admitted to having a few drinks the night of the wreck. Woods failed a sobriety test performed by the deputies: prosecutors say Woods was two and a half time over the legal limit for intoxication. The Channel 11 story did not indicate what family members were left behind to mourn the loss of April Herrington in the wake of this tragedy, and no mention was made of how the occupants of the Toyota Celica are doing.

22-year old Amanda Lynn Woods has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the drunk driving death of April Herrington

April Herrington's Kia car, struck by Amanda Woods' pickup truck

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a three car accident on the Tomball Parkway (Texas 249) has left one person dead. The wreck happened at around 4:10am in the northbound lanes of the parkway according to Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Officials temporarily shut down all three northbound lanes of Tomball Parkway as emergency workers cleared the scene.

According to an article on Channel 13’s web site, investigators spoke to an accident witness who said a female driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck was speeding when she ran a red light before entering the intersection of Highway 249 and Boudreaux. The pickup truck driver then hit two cars, one heading east and the other heading west. The lone driver of a gold-colored Kia 4-door car was killed in the accident. Also involved in the crash was a Toyota Celica with two occupants, both injured: the driver of the Celica was listed as being in critical condition. The woman driving the pickup truck admitted that she had been drinking at a bar where she works.

The driver of this Kia sedan was killed when the Chevrolet pickup ran a red light. The pickup driver had been drinking.

Smith & Hassler’s highly experienced personal injury attorneys aggressively represent clients in Houston and throughout Texas who have been injured by drunk drivers. If you or a family member have been the victim of a drunk driving accident, contact Smith & Hassler to speak to an attorney right away.

An early morning crash has left one person dead and another hospitalized. According to state troopers, a driver was heading north in the southbound lanes of Highway 59 near Thompson Highway around 3:00am, which caused a head-on collision between two vehicles. Troopers are investigating why the driver was heading the wrong way at the time of the accident.

The driver of a white-colored Honda Accord hit and killed a pedestrian this morning around 2:15am and kept on driving. The victim is a Hispanic male in his 40’s and the accident happened on West Fuqua in southwest Houston. According to a witness the Honda Accord swerved and hit the man, who was apparently standing in the street, but then kept going. The witness said the driver stopped at a stop sign, got out of this car and checked his vehicle for damage. The witness made eye contact with the driver and suggested the driver go back to the accident scene since someone had been struck, however the driver got back in his vehicle and left. The witness said the driver did not appear to be drunk. Police are on the lookout for a white Honda Accord that has damage to the front passenger side, possibly damage to the window also. A female driver attempted to chase the Accord to get a license plate number – police would like to speak with that lady also. Channel 13’s story is here.

Houston personal injury attorneys Smith & Hassler represent the victims of hit-and-run accidents in Houston and throughout Texas, and also represents family members in wrongful death claims.

A motorcyclist was killed Sunday afternoon when he stopped to change a tire on Highway 288 near Orem. The collision happened around 1:00pm when the victim was out on a motorcycle ride with his son.  Investigators say 36-year old Shawn Jarmail Brown hit the motorcyclist who died at the scene. Brown was arrested and charged with intoxication assault. The name of the 42-year old victim has not yet been released. Shawn Jarmail Brown has previously faced criminal charges in Harris County, including theft, manufacture and delivery of controlled substance and unlicensed possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This accident is a terrible and avoidable tragedy, our hearts go out to the friends and family of the victim.

Shawn Jarmail Brown has been charged with intoxication assault - he struck a motorcyclist stopped on Highway 288

Channel 2’s coverage of the fatal crash can be read here. Channel 11’s story regarding Shawn Jermail Brown’s arrest is available here.