A man lost his life early Saturday morning in a wrong-way crash on the Hardy Toll Road in north Harris County. According to officials, the collision occurred just after 4 a.m. in the 13800 block of the toll road. Authorities report that a 26-year-old woman was driving on the wrong side of the road when she struck a vehicle head-on, killing its 45-year-old driver. The suspect was taken into custody and charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Whenever I hear about a crash like this, I immediately think about the circumstances leading up to it. In cases involving an allegedly intoxicated driver, I wonder whether a bar or restaurant may have played a role in overserving alcohol before the crash.
Could a Bar or Restaurant Be Held Liable?
Under Texas dram shop law, alcohol-serving establishments can be held accountable if they serve alcohol to someone who is obviously intoxicated and that person later causes harm to others. Determining where the driver had been drinking before the crash is critical to understanding whether a bar or restaurant could share responsibility. Investigators should review credit card transactions, surveillance footage, and witness statements to see if the suspect had been served alcohol while showing clear signs of intoxication.
The Importance of a Thorough Investigation
When a fatal crash occurs, the focus is often on the driver, but it’s equally important to look at whether a third party contributed to it. If an establishment overserved alcohol to someone who was clearly impaired, it may bear some responsibility for what happened. In my experience, these types of investigations often reveal factors that aren’t immediately obvious but are crucial in understanding the full scope of the crash.