Police say that the 25-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Impala collided head-on with an eastbound Nissan Maxima on the 1400 block of Parker near the Hardy Toll Road in North Houston while attempting to pass a westbound car around 11 p.m. on Sept. 30. The driver of the Impala also crashed into an SUV during the accident, and a local hospital treated and released both passengers in that vehicle.
The driver of the Maxima died in the crash, and paramedics rushed his passenger to Memorial Hermann hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Some reports state that the passenger was his wife who was eight weeks pregnant at the time of the accident.
According to the police, the driver of the Impala fled the scene and attempted to pay for a ride from passersby, but the police captured him after a short foot pursuit. Officials transported him to Ben Taub Hospital for treatment. Police believe that he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, and they charged him with intoxication assault, intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid after an accident involving death.
When a drunk driving accident causes serious injuries, property damage and even death, the responsible driver may be liable for all of the damages. Officers will normally attempt to have a blood test performed to check the driver’s blood alcohol content to confirm that the driver was under the influence at the time of the accident.
Once the officers determine which driver was at fault in the accident, the relatives of the deceased can file a wrongful death claim against that driver or the driver’s insurance company. These claims can help the family receive compensation for funeral expenses and loss of income.
Source: The Houston Chronicle , “Driver in deadly head-on crash charged with intoxication manslaughter“, Dale Lezon and Craig Hlavaty, September 30, 2014
