Travis County, TX — July 13, 2024, James Wagner Jr. was injured as the result of an alleged intoxicated driver accident at 6:20 p.m. along Highway 71.
According to officials, the accident took place in the area of the Highway 71 and Old Bee Caves Road intersection west of Austin.
Investigators said that 69-year-old James Wagner Jr. was in a Ford F-150 pickup going northbound on the highway. At Old Bee Caves Road, authorities say an oncoming Volkswagen failed to yield making a turn, and it crashed into Wagner’s vehicle. As a result, Wagner sustained serious injuries. The other driver’s condition wasn’t confirmed.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Authorities said they believe that the Volkswagen driver was under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, and they recommended a charge for intoxication assault. As open-and-shut as that sounds, it’s actually important to distinguish between drugs and alcohol. That’s because drunk driving accidents can also involve negligent alcohol providers if they illegally over-served the driver. They may be subject to criminal investigations, fines, license suspension, or even liability for the resulting injuries. As such, if alcohol was a factor here, the intoxicated driver might not be the only person who needs to be held accountable. Hopefully authorities weren’t content at just having a bad guy to blame and only getting half the story.
