Harris County law enforcement officials reported that a head-on collision claimed the life of one man and seriously injured another. Reportedly, the collision occurred on Jan. 17 around 11:00 p.m.
According to authorities, a man driving a GMC Sierra in the Washburn Tunnel at the 3200 block of Federal Road failed to maintain his lane. Upon crossing over the line, the man reportedly first struck the left mirror of one Ford truck before then colliding head-on into a second Ford truck traveling in the opposite direction.
Responding personnel indicated that they could smell alcohol on the man’s breath and that they allegedly found open alcohol bottles inside of the GMC Sierra he had been driving. A passenger in the second Ford truck suffered a head injury and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
The major collision resulted in the closure of the tunnel for several hours while law enforcement officers investigated the scene and performed debris cleanup. At the time of reporting, the wreck remained under investigation, and police had not released any information regarding the alleged drunk driver’s blood alcohol content at the time of the fatal accident.
When someone is seriously injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver, the injured victim may be uncertain how they might recover damages in the event the drunk driver dies in the wreck he or she caused. A personal injury attorney might still be able to recover damages on behalf of his or her injured client by filing a lawsuit in which, instead of the deceased drunk driver, the driver’s estate would be named as a defendant to the action. In this way, the damages may be recovered from the estate itself prior to the distribution of assets.
Source: Click2Houston.com, “1 killed in head-on collision in Washburn Tunnel, alcohol found in vehicle,” John Brannen, Jan. 18, 2015
