Drunk Driving: A Humanistic Profile of Lost Lives in TX

We’ve all seen the statistics on the deadly scourge of drunk driving. While the numbers are no doubt staggering, sterile figures fail to capture the human tragedy that too often results from someone’s decision to drink and drive. Each mark on the tally represents a real person – a daughter, a son, a spouse, a friend, a co-worker, a parent, a neighbor – whose life has been unjustly cut short, shattering the lives of those who remain.

A Deadly Epidemic That Has a Cure

Together we have the power to prevent more lives from falling prey to the dangers of drunk driving. As individuals and as a society, we must commit to stopping this fatal social health problem.

STOP DRUNK DRIVING

A Deadly Epidemic That Has a Cure

Together we have the power to prevent more lives from falling prey to the dangers of drunk driving. As individuals and as a society, we must commit to stopping this fatal social health problem.

STOP DRUNK DRIVING

Victims of drunk driving

Hundreds of people die from drunk driving crashes in Texas each year, and thousands more suffer serious injuries. The victims are much more than cold figures in a statistical report. They were real individuals who had a future in front of them and loved ones around them. All of that was cut short by the decision to drive while impaired by alcohol. The stories present here are a humble attempt to highlight the humanity of a few of the individuals who died in recent Texas DWI crashes.

The stories below are true, but the names and pictures have been changed to protect the privacy of the victims.

100

people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes IN 2016

where a driver was under the influence of alcohol. This is 26% of the total number of people killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes

more DUI - Alcohol crashes were reported in the hour between

sun

mon

tue

wed

thurs

fri

sat

And

sun

mon

tue

wed

thurs

fri

sat

than any other hour of the day. Also, more of these crashes occurred on Saturday than any other day of the week during 2016.

Source: https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2016/01.pdf

Stop the Clock on the Drunk Driving Death Toll

Stories like those told on this site do not have to remain a recurring theme. Drunk driving deaths can become history rather than an ongoing series of tragic stories. As individuals, we each have the choice to avoid driving after drinking alcohol or taking other intoxicating substances. As a society, we have the power to make it more difficult for drunk drivers to get behind the wheel. If you have been moved by the stories recounted on this site – or if you have been personally affected by drunk driving – you have the power to take action and demand change now. Michael P. Fleming & Associates is a Houston Personal Injury Lawyer that specializes in helping car accident victims throughout Texas.

STOP DRUNK DRIVING

Top

Robert

League City / 22

Robert was killed when an alleged drunk driver failed to stay in his lane and struck Robert’s Jeep Wrangler. The alleged drunk driver was reportedly speeding at the time of the crash. Robert’s Jeep rolled as a result of the collision, and Robert was thrown from the vehicle, causing fatal injuries. He was 22 years old. The alleged drunk driver was not injured.

Connie

Corpus Christi / 41

Connie died from injuries she suffered when an alleged drunk driver rear-ended her vehicle and pushed it into oncoming traffic where it was struck by another vehicle. The 41-year-old was the mother of two boys who were also in the vehicle with her at the time of the crash. They suffered injuries but survived. “She had a smile on her face no matter what was going on in her life. She brightened everyone's day,” Connie’s sister told local media after her death.

Mary

San Antonio / 29

An alleged drunk driver swerved into oncoming traffic and hit Mary’s Mitsubishi Outlander Sport head-on. After being transported to the hospital in critical condition, Mary died of the injuries she suffered in the collision. The 29-year-old left behind a husband, who was in the car during the crash, and an 8-year-old son.

Flora, David and Bobby

Austin / 38 | 41 | 14

A family from California who were visiting the Austin area were involved in a triple-fatality crash with an alleged drunk driver who crossed a median and hit the family’s car and another vehicle. Flora, 38, and her son Bobby, 14, died at the scene of the crash. Nancy’s husband David, 41, died at the hospital days later when he was removed from life support. The couple’s daughter Jill suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Russell and Gail

San Augustine County / 30 | 16

A fiery crash caused by an alleged drunk driver claimed the lives of Russell and Gail in San Augustine County. The wreck occurred when a Dodge pickup went through a stop sign and collided with another vehicle in the intersection. Both vehicles caught fire. Russell, 30, and Gail, 16, died from injuries sustained in the crash. The alleged drunk driver was treated for minor injuries.

Amy

Austin / 20

Amy, a 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Texas at San Antonio, was killed when an intoxicated driver ran a red light and hit her vehicle. Amy, who was visiting her family for the weekend, died at the scene. The other driver pleaded guilty to charges of intoxication manslaughter and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison. “The 28 year sentence is a beautiful thing for us, just to get him off the street,” Amy’s uncle told local media.

William

Cypress / 54

William lost his life in a collision caused by an allegedly intoxicated man who already had five DWIs on his record before the crash. The alleged drunk driver failed to stop his Ram pickup at a stop sign and broadsided William’s Buick sedan. William left behind a spouse and a child. The alleged drunk driver faces 25 years in prison. “When you're dealing with a DWI third or more, we don't charge them with intoxication manslaughter anymore, we charge them with felony murder,” the chief of the Harris County Vehicular Crimes Division told local media.

Sandra and Mark

Garland / 20 | 20

Mark, acting as a Good Samaritan, stopped to assist Sandra after her vehicle struck a barrier on the side of Interstate 635 in the wee hours of the morning. An allegedly intoxicated driver hit and killed Mark and Sandra while they were standing on the side of the road. They died at the scene. Although the alleged drunk driver’s car caught fire, she sustained only minor injuries, and was charged with intoxication manslaughter. “He didn't want money. He didn't want anything but to help. That was his nature,” Mark’s former foster parent told local media.

Jose

Abilene / 8

Eight-year-old Jose was on his way to Sea World with his family when he died in a collision with a car full of allegedly intoxicated teenagers. The driver pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He reportedly went through a stop sign before colliding with the vehicle Jose was riding in.