Bexar County, TX — January 29, 2026, Rita Garza was injured due to an alleged drunk driver accident just after 3:00 p.m. along Connally Loop (Loop 410).
According to authorities, 51-year-old Rita Garza was traveling in a southwest bound Nissan Rogue on Connally Loop near the Interstate Highway 10 junction near Pin Oak Drive when the accident took place.
Officials indicate that a southwest bound Tesla Model Y occupied by a 37-year-old man failed to safely complete a pass on the right of the Rogue. A collision consequently occurred between the front-left of the Tesla and the right side of the Nissan.
Garza reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. The man who had been behind the wheel of the Tesla was purportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the wreck.
Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about daytime collisions where impairment is alleged, what strikes me is how often people assume these situations are limited to late nights and closing times. The reality is that impaired driving doesn’t follow a clock. It can surface in the middle of the afternoon just as easily, which makes the larger questions even more important.
If reports are accurate and alcohol played a role in this crash, one of the most important but often overlooked questions is where that alcohol was served. Texas law recognizes that an alcohol provider may share responsibility if they continued serving someone who was obviously intoxicated. That’s not about shifting focus away from the driver—it’s about recognizing that prevention sometimes depends on decisions made before anyone gets behind the wheel. That’s the kind of question dram shop law is built to answer.
In many cases, those questions never receive the same attention as the events on the roadway. Law enforcement’s role is understandably centered on the crash itself and whether charges are appropriate. Meanwhile, whether a business overserved a patron can remain unexplored unless someone takes a closer look. For the injured party, that can mean an incomplete understanding of how this situation developed. The law offers tools that many people don’t know they can use to examine that broader chain of responsibility.
When I step back and consider reports like this, I’m reminded that accountability isn’t limited to a single decision made in traffic. It may include earlier choices that set the stage for what followed. Looking at the full picture is often the only way to determine whether this was simply a driver’s error—or something more preventable.
Three takeaways to keep in mind:
- Texas dram shop law allows scrutiny of alcohol providers when overservice to an obviously intoxicated person may have contributed to a crash.
- A thorough investigation should examine where the alleged impaired driver was drinking, not just the collision itself.
- Many people are unaware that legal remedies may exist beyond the criminal case when serious injuries raise broader questions about accountability.
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