A 25-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman recently enjoyed a day of tubing with friends in Texas. The adventure turned to tragedy when a fatal collision occurred later in the day. Excessive speed and drunk driving were said to be the leading factors in the cause of the crash.
The fatal accident took place on Interstate 35 on a recent Saturday night. Police filed formal charges against the 25-year-old who was driving the vehicle when the accident occurred. Sadly, the 24-year-old woman who was traveling as a passenger in the car died after being transported to a nearby hospital for emergency care.
Police who responded to the scene have stated that the man was driving a vehicle that belonged to his mother when he apparently failed to navigate a curve near an exit on the highway. The vehicle reportedly veered off the road, through the median and into a pole. The impact of the crash was so severe that the pole was split into two pieces. Witnesses told police that they estimate the vehicle to have been traveling at least 90 mph in the moments before the crash.
The driver allegedly told first responders that he was drunk. He also explained to officers that he might have been driving at an excessive rate of speed because he was late for work. He now faces drunk driving charges that include intoxication manslaughter. In similar Texas collisions, the surviving family members of a fatally wounded victim sometimes decide to file a wrongful death claim in a civil court. This allows them to seek compensation for damages suffered as a result of the accident and the untimely death of their loved one.
Source: kxan.com, “Police: Driver in deadly I-35 crash was intoxicated”, David Barer, July 13, 2015