Nueces County, TX — March 15, 2024, three teenagers were injured due to a possible drunk driving accident at around 11:30 p.m. on Highway 361.
Authorities said in initial statements that the crash occurred in the area of Highway 361 and Ashby Lane. According to officials, 18-year-old Penelope Gutierrez was driving a Kia Optima with four other occupants, all teenagers. They were on northbound lanes when authorities say a southbound Nissan Armada collided with the Kia.
Due to this collision, three of the teenage passengers in Gutierrez’s vehicle had injuries. One of them, a 16-year-old, reportedly had serious injuries. The other driver was a 17-year-old who police allege was in possession of alcohol. It’s unclear, though, if alcohol contributed to the crash.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
If evidence shows alcohol did play a role here, that could present significant challenges going forward. Put simply, if someone serves alcohol to a minor, and that contributes to a crash, whoever provided that alcohol might be legally on the hook for their role in the crash.
What’s particularly concerning is the possibility a local establishment is selling alcohol to minors. Alcohol providers like that rarely break the law once; it’s usually a pattern of reckless behavior that will eventually cause more harm unless they face consequences and clean up their act. Have authorities worked to rule out these possibilities, or is something crucial slipping through the cracks?
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