Harris County, TX — December 15, 2024, Rene Garza Jr. was killed and one other was injured due to a car accident at around 2:09 p.m. on Brittmoore Road.
According to preliminary statements from officials, the crash happened near the intersection of Brittmoore Road and Tanner Road.
Investigators said that Rene Garza Jr. was in a Nissan that was going southbound on Brittmoore Road. A Volkswagen was traveling northbound. Due to reasons which aren’t clear right now, the vehicles ended up colliding.
Garza sustained fatal injuries as a result of the accident. The other driver had injuries said to be minor. At this time, the cause of the crash remains unclear.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
A common challenge that I get calls about all the time is people assuming authorities have deadly crashes under control. While authorities can certainly conduct good, thorough investigations, it’s important to know what kind of effort they’re making sooner rather than later. That’s why I’ve found three key questions can help people determine this after a serious accident.
First, are authorities allocating the time, resources, and expertise needed to properly investigate the crash? Opposing-direction collisions, like this one, can result from a variety of causes—driver actions, road conditions, or external hazards. Investigators must carefully examine physical evidence, such as skid marks, vehicle damage, and any road obstructions, to reconstruct the events accurately. Are experienced officers leading the investigation, and do they have the tools to analyze all potential contributing factors? Without this level of detail, critical questions may remain unanswered.
Second, has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect could have played a role? Mechanical failures—such as brake malfunctions, steering problems, or tire blowouts—can cause a driver to lose control. Moreover, defects in safety equipment, like seatbelts or airbags, could have contributed to the severity of the injuries sustained. A detailed forensic examination of both vehicles is essential to rule out these possibilities before conclusions are drawn, and that’s not always something authorities are able to do without bringing in outside help from independent specialists.
Finally, have investigators ensured that all electronic data has been preserved? Both vehicles involved are likely equipped with Engine Control Modules (ECMs) capable of recording important information like speed, braking, and steering in the moments leading up to the crash. Additionally, surveillance cameras from nearby businesses or residences may have captured the collision. And cellphone data can also be crucial to secure in a timely manner, both for things like calls and texts as well as GPS. Promptly securing this evidence is crucial, as it can be lost or overwritten if not preserved quickly.
If authorities have satisfactory answers to these questions, then it could be a sign they’re handling things well and getting clear evidence for the families involved. Otherwise, if their answers are leaving doubts, then it could be that the crash would be better off in the hands of independent accident reconstructionists.
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