Nolanville, TX — March 8, 2025, one person was injured in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 2 a.m. on East Central Texas Expressway.
A preliminary accident report indicates a 1994 Chevrolet C1500 pickup hit a 2015 Honda Civic that failed to yield at a stop sign at Edwards Drive.
A 26-year-old man who was a passenger in the Honda suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities. His name has not been made public.
The Honda driver was charged with driving while intoxicated after a breathalyzer test, the report states.
The Chevrolet driver, a 24-year-old man from Waco, suffered minor injuries in the crash, according to authorities.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bell County crash.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a serious crash happens in the early morning hours and alcohol is suspected, it’s important to take a step back and ask a broader question: How did the driver end up intoxicated behind the wheel in the first place?
According to reports, the driver of the Honda was charged with DWI after a breath test. What’s not yet clear — and what’s often left out of these investigations — is where that person had been drinking before getting behind the wheel. That’s not a minor detail. Under Texas dram shop laws, it’s illegal for alcohol providers to serve someone who’s already obviously intoxicated. If a bar or restaurant overserved this driver and contributed to the crash, they may also share responsibility for what happened.
Unfortunately, many investigations don’t look that far upstream. Once a DWI charge is filed, the search for answers tends to stop. But the law makes it clear: when a provider serves someone who’s clearly drunk and that person goes on to hurt others, the provider can be held accountable too.
That’s why it’s so important to get the full picture. The injured passenger and their loved ones deserve to know whether this crash was just the result of one person’s bad decision, or whether an alcohol provider played a role by breaking the law.
Getting those answers isn’t just about this one crash. It’s about making sure the same mistake doesn’t repeat itself on another Texas road.
