Upshur County, TX — December 16, 2024, Richard Albert and one other were injured following an alleged drunk driver accident at around 5:49 p.m. on Highway 155.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it happened southwest of Gilmer near Chinaberry Road.
According to officials, 73-year-old Richard Albert was in a Buick Enclave going southbound along the highway. In a series of events unclear, a crash occurred involving a Ford F-150 also traveling southbound. The accident also involved a northbound semi-truck.
Due to the accident, Richard Albert sustained serious injuries. The Ford driver and the semi-truck driver may have had minor injuries. Right now, details allege that the Ford driver had been driving under the influence of alcohol. They recommended charges.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
If the allegations here are true, folks may think that makes a crash like this open-and-shut. However, I’ve handled hundreds of alcohol-related accident cases, and they’re rarely as simple as people think. A big reason for this is because many drunk driver accidents involve negligent alcohol providers. If authorities don’t take the time to investigate their potential role in a crash, the accident may not be getting the attention it needs.
Put simply, bars and other alcohol providers can face consequences when they over-serve people who are obviously intoxicated. This can include potential criminal investigations, fines, suspended licenses, or liability for the injuries resulting from the intoxication. Not only does that provide an opportunity to hold a negligent alcohol provider accountable for their actions, it gives victims and families a chance to see a proper conclusion to their situation. Otherwise, authorities who fail to look into these possibilities may be allowing negligent alcohol providers to continue putting the community at risk.
So regardless of what happened here, there isn’t enough information available right now to suggest these details tell the whole story. Perhaps authorities have been more thorough behind the scenes to ensure no wrongdoers fly under the radar. In my experience, though, it may take more thorough independent investigations to make sure there’s full accountability for the actions that led to this crash.
