Erath County, TX — July 30, 2024, Patrick Quinones, Cameron Sanders, and one other were killed after a car accident at around 12:45 a.m. along Lingleville Road.
Authorities said in preliminary statements that the crash happened in the area of F.M. 8/Lingleville Road and F.M. 417, west of Stephenville.
According to officials, 56-year-old Patrick John Quinones and a 70-year-old man were in a Dodge Ram pickup pulling a trailer along eastbound Lingleville. A Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 23-year-old Cameron Sanders was reportedly going westbound. As they passed each other, the Grand Caravan reportedly crashed head-on into the Dodge Ram. As a result, Quinones, Quinones’s passenger, and Sanders were killed.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
While details cannot be confirmed right now, authorities reported alcohol as a suspected factor in the accident. To be clear, alcohol is often included in reports simply because it’s a common possibility at this time of day. Investigations could very well rule it out. If it was involved, though, it’s important to understand why that could make things a lot more complex.
Folks tend to move on after reading about accidents like this one since there were no survivors. The main concern of the public is generally seeing someone held accountable, but if there isn’t anyone involved in the crash still around to face consequences, what’s the point in further investigations? Well, for one, it should always be a high priority to get the families some answers. But more than that, alcohol-related accidents often involve a wrongdoer who wasn’t at the crash scene: an alcohol provider.
In Texas, alcohol providers such as bars and restaurants can be responsible if they over-serve someone who then causes a serious accident. This exposes them to potential criminal investigations, fines, license suspensions, and liability for the resulting harm. Too often, all of the focus is on the drivers involved, so these companies end up let off the hook to continue business as usual. Inevitably, their reckless practices are going to get someone else hurt, which is why it’s so important investigations into alcohol-related crashes always involve the possibility of a complicit alcohol provider.
Again, it’s possible alcohol was not a factor here, in which case authorities should also be considering other possibilities, including mechanical defects and road hazards, for example. If it was a factor, though, the families involved deserve to know that any wrongdoer who can be held accountable will be. After all, if the public really cared about seeing justice done for actions leading to a fatal drunk driving accident, they, too, should understand the importance of investigating potentially negligent alcohol providers.
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