Vidor, TX — January 17, 2025, Calvin Hayes and four others were injured following an alleged drunk driver accident at 6:29 p.m. along F.M. 105/North Main.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it happened near the intersection of Main Street and Elizabeth Street.
According to officials, 67-year-old Calvin Hayes and three others were in a GMC Sierra going southbound. A Nissan Sentra going the same direction reportedly failed to control speed and crashed into Hayes’s GMC.
Due to the collision, Hayes had serious injuries. Three passengers in the GMC and the Nissan driver had minor injuries. The Nissan driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time, and they recommended charges.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When authorities suspect alcohol played a role in a crash like this, it’s important to ask where the driver had been drinking and whether an alcohol provider over-served them. Too often, investigations focus solely on the driver, overlooking the possibility that a bar or restaurant may have broken the law by serving them past the point of intoxication.
Texas dram shop laws hold alcohol providers accountable if they serve someone who is obviously intoxicated and that person goes on to cause harm. But if authorities only focus on going after the first “bad guy” they can find, they may allow a law-breaking establishment to continue putting lives at risk. Have investigations touched on these possibilities so the victims involved know all responsible parties are going to be held accountable?
