Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

The 18-wheeler involved in the deadly crash at the North Sam Houston Tollway toll booth has been identified as belonging to Penske Truck Company. The driver of the 18-wheeler died along with the driver of a Ford Explorer waiting at the toll booth when the big rig crashed into a low wall at the toll plaza, then landed on the Explorer and burst into flames. The names of the drivers have not been released pending positive identification by dental records. Investigators are saying it is possible the truck driver fell asleep before the early morning crash or may have experiences a medical condition. Toxicology tests will be used to rule in or out drugs or alcohol playing a factors in the wreck. While the toll booths do have cameras the crash was not captured on video. An accident eyewitness named Casey Cain watched the tragic accident happen and captured video on her mobile phone, which can be viewed on Channel 13’s web site here. The video shows both vehicles completely consumed by fire. In a Channel 13 report on the tragedy, Chief Randy Johnson with the Harris County Precinct 6 Constables indicated that the big rig driver was traveling at least 45MPH and was not even lined up with a toll lane that the 18-wheeler could have fit through, suggesting that the big rig driver may have fallen asleep prior to the crash. The same article reports that the rig was registered to Penske Trucking out of Dallas, was rented to a customer who leases from them and that the driver involved worked for Penske‘s customer. What a terrible loss for both families.

Two drivers were tragically killed last night when an out of control 18-wheeler struck a toll booth at North Beltway 8 near Veterans Memorial. A Channel 2 News story reports that, according to the Harris County Toll Road Authority, a car was waiting at a toll booth paying a toll when the big rig hit the toll booth, lost control then landed on top of another car before bursting into flames. A story by the Houston Chronicle states that the deceased motorists are the driver of the 18-wheeler and the driver of the car that was waiting at the toll booth when it was struck by the big-rig. Investigators are working to determine what caused the 18-wheeler driver to loose control of his truck. Channel 11 reported on the deadly crash here.

There is a reason 18-wheelers, otherwise referred to as big-rigs, are heavily regulated by the federal government.  Because large trucks massively outsize and outweigh passenger cars there is great potential for 18-wheeler accidents to cause serious injury or death to other motorists.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require that inter-state 18-wheeler operators carry at least $750,000 of liability insurance. Depending on the loads they are hauling they may be required to carry up to $5 million in insurance. Many truck drivers are diligent and professional and take safety very seriously.  Unfortunately some truckers or their companies do not however, and over more than 20-years of practice Smith & Hassler has seen many examples or distracted, tired or overworked truck drivers hurting or killing others.  Getting professional legal representation as soon as possible after a truck accident is critical.  The trucking company and their insurance company will move quickly to do their own investigation in an attempt to avoid or shift blame.  Call or email Smith & Hassler as soon as possible after your trucking accident, and don’t speak to the insurance company representatives before you do.

A crash early this morning has left one man dead and two others injured. The crash happened on Houston’s Gulf Freeway at around 12:30am. The driver of a red-colored Chevrolet or GMC pickup truck was traveling on the Gulf Freeway at Woodridge when he lost control of his struck and struck the center median. Another motorist pulled over to assist the driver of the crashed pickup truck, and the pickup driver was using the other motorist’s cell phone when another vehicle crashed into both the wrecked pickup truck and the Good Samaritan’s vehicle. Sadly the pickup truck driver died at the scene, the Good Samaritan who stopped to help was transported to hospital with reportedly minor injuries and the driver of the vehicle that crashed into the stopped vehicles was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Channel 11’s report is available here and include video. Channel 2’s story is here, and this story identifies the vehicle that crashed into the already stopped vehicles as a Toyota Avalon. Channel 13’s story is here, and lists the Avalon as bring black in color. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here, and states there is no indication of alcohol involvement.

KHOU is reporting that 60-year old Stephen Loyd Hudetts of Dickinson, Texas has been accused of leaving the scene of a fatal accident involving a concrete truck and a motorcyclist.  Motorcyclist Wallace Trexler, aged 53 of Santa Fe, Texas was found deceased at around 5:00am on September 12 in the 200 block of Delaney Road near the southbound I-45 entrance in La Marque, Texas. Video surveillance helped police track down Hudetts, whose bond has been set at $25,000. KHOU’s story is available here. The Galveston Daily News’ story is here. The Galveston Daily News states that the concrete truck belongs to Kelso Concrete which is based in Galveston, and that management of Kelso are cooperating with the police investigation.

Stephen Loyd Hudetts has been charged in the hit-and-run death of motorcyclist Wallace Trexler

If you have lost a family member due to the negligence of another, contact the wrongful death attorneys at Smith & Hassler. In the more than 20-years Smith & Hassler has existed in the Houston area, the Smith & Hassler firm has handled many wrongful death cases from 18-wheeler accidents to food poisoning incidents and we understand the special attention wrongful death cases require. You can arrange a free consultation with a Smith & Hassler Houston personal injury attorney for your wrongful death claim, either in-person or by phone.

FOX News Houston is reporting a single car crash that killed both the driver and a passenger. The crash was witnessed by an off duty police officer. The wreck happened at around 2:30am Sunday September 18, 2011 when the new-style white-colored Chevrolet Camaro tore through a 30 MPH zone at an estimated 80 MPH. The Camaro was traveling south on Bering when it hit a curb near Doliver then collided with a light pole and a brick wall. The female driver and the male passenger both died at the scene: the male passenger was ejected from the Camaro during the collision. The medical examiner’s office will test the female driver for alcohol. A photograph of the wrecked Camaro shows extremely heavy front-end damage.

If you, a friend or a family member have been injured in a car accident, Smith & Hassler’s experienced personal injury attorneys are available to give you a free consultation either in-person or by phone.  Sometimes people injured in car accident wait before consulting an attorney. They have good intentions: not wanting to seem “sue happy,” waiting to see if their injuries will get better or because an insurance adjuster is discouraging them from seeking legal advice (that happens).  It is better to know your rights early in the process and have an experienced Houston personal injury attorney explain the steps involved in car accident injury claim and what you can do NOW to increase the chances of a good outcome.

KHOU is reporting that drunk driving is suspected in a terrible crash that claimed four lives over the weekend. The two vehicle collision happened early Sunday morning in Brenham, Texas which is approximately 65 miles northwest of Houston. Roberto Castillo (19) of Brenham is currently in Washington County jail facing four counts of intoxication manslaughter with a motor vehicle. Police say that Castillo was driving a pickup truck that allegedly crashed into a car carrying the four victims who died in the wreck. Ironically it always seems to be the intoxicated driver who leaves a drunk driving accident with little or no injury. Investigators say Castillo ran from the scene of the accident but was apprehended at a nearby mobile home. A report in the online Brenham Banner newspaper shows a disturbing picture portraying devastating damage to a silver-colored Ford Mustang. According to the Banner’s report, Castillo is an undocumented alien who only a few weeks before the deadly crash was detained by law enforcement for another alcohol related offense. The collision happened at the intersection of Highway 36 South and FM 109. Castillo was driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Four occupants of this 1998 silver Ford Mustang perished in what is suspected to be a drunk driving wreck

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) car accidents seem to happen every single night in the Houston area and throughout Harris County.  Sadly Harris County Texas ranks among the highest counties in the nation for drunk driving fatalities and drunk driving accident injuries year after year.  Drunk driving car accidents often create even more complications for the victim than a regular car accident: insurance companies usually won’t pay a claim or provide a rental car until they speak to their insured driver and get their version of what happened. The insurance company can’t do that if their insured was charged with DWI and is in jail. Call Smith & Hassler if you have been injured by a drunk driver’s gross negligence and ask for speak to one of our personal injury attorneys right now.  Smith & Hassler aggressively pursues claims against drunk drivers.

Houston news services are reporting what appears to be yet another drunk-driving fatality on Houston’s roads.

22-year old Jonathan Lacier Davis has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with a terrible crash on the Beltway 8 feeder near Harwin Drive at around 3:00am Thursday August 4, 2011. Davis was driving a Chrysler PT Cruiser southbound on the Beltway 8 feeder when he ran a red light at the Harwin Drive intersection and crashed into a Honda Civic car. According to witnesses the Civic violently spun out, hit a pole and broke in half before catching on fire. The female driver of the Civic was trapped inside her vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigating police officers Davis had alcohol in his vehicle. Davis’ wife was riding as a passenger in the PT Cruiser – she was taken to Memorial Hermann Southwest in stable condition. The identity of the deceased driver of the Honda Civic has not been released yet.  According to KHOU’s report a witness to the wreck said he observed Jonathan Lacier Davis swerving across all lanes of travel and running numerous red lights to the collision, and in fact spoke to Davis at an intersection immediately before the wreck. This is not Davis’ first brush with the law: he has several prior convictions for drug offenses in Harris County.

Click2Houston.com’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.
KHOU’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.
Channel 13’s coverage of the Jonathan Lacier Davis wreck is here.

The female driver of this Honda Civic was pronounced dead after the collision: Jonathan Lacier Davis has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the 04/02/2011 wreck.

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) car accidents seem to happen every single night in the Houston area and throughout Harris County.  Sadly Harris County Texas ranks among the highest counties in the nation for drunk driving fatalities and drunk driving accident injuries year after year.  Drunk driving car accidents often create even more complications for the victim than a regular car accident: insurance companies usually won’t pay a claim or provide a rental car until they speak to their insured driver and get their version of what happened. The insurance company can’t do that if their insured was charged with DWI and is in jail. Call Smith & Hassler if you have been injured by a drunk driver’s gross negligence and ask for speak to one of our personal injury attorneys right now.  Smith & Hassler aggressively pursues claims against drunk drivers.

A three vehicle collision involving a fatality closed down the Northwest Freeway on Friday July 22, 2011 according to Click2Houston.com

The wreck took place in the westbound lanes of the Northwest Freeway at around 11:30am. Investigators say that a blue colored Scion passenger car and a black colored Dodge Ram pickup truck were involved in a minor accident and had pulled over to exchange information on the shoulder of the freeway. The big rig then approached from behind the stopped vehicle, crashed into the rear of the Scion pushing it into the pickup truck, then pushed both the Scion and the pickup truck more than 100 feet. The 59-year old driver of the blue Scion died at the scene, police have not released his name. The driver of the big rig was arrested for two outstanding warrants.

Video footage from KHOU’s web site (see below) shows a busy scene as emergency responders work the accident. The blue Scion appears to have sustained very severe rear end damage and the big rig came to rest at least partly on top of the Scion.

Additional information has come to light in reference to the multi-vehicle accident and vehicle fire on US Highway 59 near Grand Parkway in Sugar Land that happened yesterday at approximately 5:30pm. One woman was killed in the collision and an 18-wheeler tanker truck was one of the vehicles involved. Recent media reports indicate that a total of seven vehicles (including the big rig) were caught up in the initial accident, and then a second accident occurred as drivers attempted to avoid colliding with the first wreck. The tragedy unfolded during Houston’s notoriously busy rush hour when commuter traffic is at its peak.

According to Sugar Land police, the driver of the 18-wheeler was unable to control the speed of his tanker truck and smashed into the rear of a Lincoln driven by 66-year old Doris Walters of Pasadena, Texas. Ms. Walters’ Lincoln then caught fire and the fire spread to the big rig and also a pickup truck. Ms. Walters was killed in the accident and another motorist sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. So far no citations have been issued for the accident and the police investigation is ongoing.

Channel 13 Eyewitness News’ report can be read here.
Channel 2 News’ story is here and includes video.
The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.
KHOU’s story is available here, and includes video and pictures.

Local media outlets are reporting a dramatic crash on Highway 59 in Houston near the Grand Parkway involving a big rig tanker truck and a vehicle fire that has left one motorist dead. The accident happened during rush hour at around 5:30pm in the southbound lanes of Highway 59. Apparently a total of five vehicles were involved and the motorist who was killed was in a pickup truck. A photograph on Channel 2’s web page appears to show a Toyota pickup truck partially engulfed in flames next to the tanker truck. Channel 13’s story is here. Click2Houston.com’s story is here. No report indicated the cause of the wreck, and the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department and Sugar Land Police Department is currently investigating. You can be sure that the insurance company who insures the tanker truck is already investigating the accident also. KHOU’s coverage of the accident is here. What was probably a regular commute home has turned to tragedy for the family of the motorist who died. Fox News Houston’s coverage is available here. The Houston Chronicle’s coverage is here and states that the person who died was in a sedan (not a pickup truck) and that the fire was caused when diesel fuel leaked from the fuel tank of the big rig.

One motorist perished in this fiery crash on Highway 59 near Grand Parkway on July 19, 2011

Smith & Hassler’s personal injury attorneys have represented hundreds of Texans injured in 18-wheeler accidents and have significant experience with the special issues in accidents involving commercial vehicles, including investigating trucking companies to ensure their truck and drivers are in compliance with state and federal regulations. If you or a family member have been seriously injured in an accident with an 18-wheeler, call 713 739 1250 or 1-800-WIN-WIN1 for a free consultation, or contact us online via our web site.