UPDATE (June 26, 2024): Recent statements from officials show that the alleged drunk driver in the crash is facing charges for intoxication manslaughter and aggravated assault. They didn’t say if they were looking into where the alleged alcohol came from, which as I discussed below is a crucial detail if there’s an accomplice to all of this. Additional details will depend on what continued investigations uncover.
Baird, TX — May 5, 2024, Layni Potter, Madi Buchanan, and a 16-year-old were killed in an alleged DWI accident early Sunday on West 3rd.
Initial details about the accident say it happened at around 2:00 a.m. at the intersection of Peyton Street and West 3rd/F.M. 18.
According to officials, 18-year-old Layni Potter, 18-year-old Madi Buchanan, 19-year-old James May, a 16-year-old, and one other were in a Kia going southbound on Peyton. at West 3rd, the Kia reportedly entered the crossing where it collided with a westbound Chevy pickup.
Due to the collision, Potter, Buchanan, and the 16-year-old were killed. Reports suggest three others were injured, including James May and the other occupant in the Kia. After the crash, authorities say that the pickup driver was over the legal limit for drunk driving and is facing charges for DWI. Additional details are unavailable right now.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
If the mentioned allegations are true, it wouldn’t be too surprising seeing alcohol lead to a crash at 2:00 a.m. on a Sunday. That is the peak time for drunk driving accidents. What would be surprising, though, is if authorities looked beyond the crash scene at the possibility someone else played a role in this crash: a bar.
Put simply, Texas law says it’s illegal for alcohol providers to over-serve obviously intoxicated persons. Doing so can open them to all kinds of consequences, such as fines, license suspensions, criminal investigations, and even liability when people are hurt or killed. Time and time again, though, our firm has investigated a negligent bar for a civil case only to find authorities never even bothered conducting their own investigations. When they have a drunk driver to charge, they often just move on.
There are two main reasons this is frustrating. For one, alcohol providers who face consequences tend to clean up their act. If they’re let off the hook, they have no reason to change their behavior, and they’ll keep putting lives at risk. Putting them on the straight-and-narrow makes the roads safer for everyone. And two, victims and families aren’t just looking for a bad guy. I know if I was hurt in an accident, and I found out there were multiple parties who broke the law and contributed to that, I’d want to see them all face appropriate consequences. I think most everyone would agree with that, but it can take outside pressure to get authorities on the same page.
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