Longview, TX — May 10, 2025, John Daniels III and one other were injured after an alleged drunk driver accident at 10:20 p.m. on Loop 281.
Authorities released preliminary details about the crash, saying it happened near the intersection of State Loop 281 and Old Kilgore Highway.
According to officials, 44-year-old John Daniels III was in a Hyundai Tucson reportedly traveling northbound. A Ford F-150 was going southbound, reportedly in the northbound lanes of travel. As a result, the Ford crashed head-on into John Daniels.
Both John Daniels and the driver of the Ford had reportedly serious injuries due to the crash. There did not appear to be anyone else involved. Authorities allege that the Ford driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time, and they recommended a charge for intoxication assault.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about incidents like this one, what stands out to me isn’t just what happened, but what’s missing from the conversation. Most people will see a wrong-way crash and understandably focus on the injured victims or the alleged drunk driver. But if alcohol truly played a role here—as officials suggest—there’s an equally important question that often goes unasked: Where did that driver get their alcohol?
One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Who else may have played a role in putting an impaired driver on the road?” Texas law doesn’t just hold the driver accountable; it also recognizes that a bar, restaurant, or other alcohol provider may share responsibility if they over-served someone who was obviously intoxicated. That’s exactly the kind of situation dram shop law is designed to address.
No one expects a bar to predict the future—but the law does expect them to cut off service when someone’s had too much. If a provider ignored those responsibilities and served the alleged wrong-way driver while they were already impaired, that’s not just bad judgment—it could be a legal violation. Unfortunately, that aspect of these crashes often goes uninvestigated unless someone knows to ask the right questions.
Ultimately, the headline here is about a serious crash, but the bigger picture is about accountability. If alcohol service played a role, there may be more to this story than people realize. The law offers tools that many victims and families don’t know they can use—but those tools only work if someone looks beyond the surface.
Three key takeaways:
- Texas dram shop law allows injured people to hold alcohol providers accountable if they over-serve an obviously intoxicated person.
- Authorities often don’t have the resources to fully investigate where a drunk driver was drinking before a crash—secondary investigation may be necessary.
- Even in clear-cut DUI cases, families may have legal options they’ve never heard about—especially when an alcohol provider may have played a part.
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