In Texas, a three-vehicle accident that has claimed the life of an elderly Crowley woman remains under investigation, according to media sources. The woman was ejected from the vehicle when it was struck by car that had been hit by a pickup truck. The driver of the pickup was allegedly driving while intoxicated. The elderly woman died at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth less than six hours after the accident occurred. The driver who instigated the accident was not injured in the crash.
He was taken into police custody and originally charged with intoxication assault after the Friday evening collision. A representative with the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office says that the charge will be upgraded to intoxication manslaughter and additional intoxication assault charges may be filed depending on the injuries sustained by other parties. At least two additional people were injured. One person was taken to a hospital in Granbury in a private vehicle. The dead woman’s husband, who was also ejected from their car in the crash, was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.
The crash occurred at approximately 10 p.m. The driver of the pickup was traveling west in the 9500 block of FM 1187 when he rear-ended a car containing two adults and three children. That car was knocked into the eastbound lanes of FM 1187 where it crashed into the elderly couple’s car. The elderly woman succumbed to her injuries on Sept. 14 at 3:27 a.m.
In Texas, a conviction for alcohol-related charges may carry harsh penalties; however, the burden of proof in such cases is on the prosecution. An experienced attorney may be able to examine the evidence and identify mistakes made by police in clients’ cases, which could result in a dismissal of charges. An attorney could also attend a hearing to contest the client’s driver’s license suspension.
Source: Star Telegram, “Man charged with intoxication manslaughter in crash that killed Crowley woman“, Susan McFarland, September 14, 2013