UPDATE (July 11, 2025): Authorities identified the pedestrian seriously injured in the accident as Sarah Lancaster. Charges for intoxication assault have been reported for the alleged drunk driver.
Waco, TX — June 15, 2025, Three people were injured following a suspected drunk-driving accident that occurred sometime Tuesday on South 18th St.
According to reports, a Hyundai Genesis was traveling at a high rate of speed in the area of South 18th Street and Burnett Avenue when it collided with the rear of a Nissan Rogue. The impact caused the Nissan to roll several times, striking a pedestrian in the process.
When first responders arrived on the scene they found two people seriously injured and one person critically, and transported them to the hospital for treatment. The Hyundai allegedly fled the scene without rendering aid, and it’s driver was later found and arrested. At this time the identities of the injured have not been released, and authorities have not released an update on the status of their condition.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about incidents like this one, what stands out to me isn’t just the collision itself, but the unanswered questions that linger afterward. A driver fleeing the scene raises a basic yet essential query: what was their state at the time? If alcohol played a role, that raises some questions.
One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Where did the driver get their alcohol?” Under Texas’s dram shop law, if an establishment overserved a patron who was visibly intoxicated, they could share liability. It’s not always obvious, but there may be more to this story than people realize—and the law offers tools that many don’t know they can use.
It may be surprising, but in many hit-and-run crash investigations, authorities lack the resources and support necessary to trace back where the alleged drunk driver had been drinking prior to fleeing the scene. That’s the kind of question dram shop law is built to answer, and it often goes unasked.
If reports are correct, it looks like alcohol very likely played a role in this crash. I think that when alcohol plays a role in a crash—especially one where a pedestrian is severely injured—it opens the door not just to holding the driver accountable, but also anyone who may have irresponsibly served them.
When I read about incidents like this one, what stands out to me isn’t just what happened, but what’s missing from the conversation—and that often involves the server or seller of alcohol. That same sense of missing context is what brings us back full circle: even a driver’s actions aren’t the whole story.
Three key takeaways:
- Texas dram shop laws exist so that if a patron was overserved at a bar, restaurant, or event, those providers can potentially be held responsible too.
- A thorough investigation can uncover whether alcohol consumption—and its source—was a contributing factor, but only if these questions are asked.
- Many people don’t realize they have legal options beyond pursuing the driver; dram shop law offers a lesser‑known avenue to seek accountability and support for the injured party.
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