Dallas Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Fears Nachawati Law Firm : Personal Injury, Wrongful Death : Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Texas

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This morning, the Dallas Morning News reported that a 28-year-old man involved in a collision that killed a 60-year-old man, could face drunken driving charges.

The accident occurred about 11:45 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of Skillman Avenue and Mockingbird Lane.

Jeremy Watkins was driving a Toyota sport utility vehicle in the 4100 block of Skillman when police were alerted that he may have been intoxicated. When the officer attempted to stop him, Mr. Watkins, he sped away and collided with a 60-year-old driver in a Jeep Grand Cherokee heading eastbound on Mockingbird.

The two vehicles then collided with a third vehicle.

Mr. Watkins was taken to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and will face charges of intoxicated manslaughter or criminal negligent homicide, based on the pending blood test results, Dallas police said.

Police did not release the name of 60-year-old man, pending notification of next of kin.

The driver of the third vehicle was taken to Baylor University Medical Center and treated for non-life threatening injuries, police said.

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According to the Houston Chronicle, an accident occured early this morning involving a motorcycle and an 18-Wheeler truck.  

A motorcyclist died in an accident with an 18-wheeler on Interstate 45 north of Houston, the Harris County Sheriff's Department reported.

The accident occurred in the northbound lanes of the freeway near its intersection with the Hardy Toll Road, deputies reported. The accident was reported at 2:54 a.m.

The name of the victim was not released.

The investigation continued with traffic slowed in the area, the department reported.

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This afternoon, the Houston Chronicle reported that the car accident involving a police officer may be alcohol related. 

Prosecutors are awaiting blood test results before deciding whether to charge an off-duty Texas City police officer whose pickup slammed into a parked car last week, killing a La Marque woman.

Investigators need alcohol blood-level results, completion of an accident reconstruction and statements from witnesses on the whereabouts of Officer John L. White, 36, before the fatal accident, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said today.

"The best guess is that we're probably at least two weeks away from having all we've asked for," Sistrunk said.

He said that if the evidence supported it, White could be charged with intoxication manslaughter, a felony carrying a punishment ranging from two to 20 years in prison and a maximum $10,000 fine.

Leticia L. Ortiz, 26, died after White's Ford F-150 pickup plowed into her Toyota Yaris, parked on the shoulder of the eastbound lane in the 9000 block of FM 1764, at 1:29 a.m. Friday, Department of Public Safety spokesman Ken Jones said.

Sistrunk said the DPS and the Texas City police were continuing their investigations.
Texas City Police Cpt. Brian Goetschius said White suffered a "few bumps and bruises" and will remain on duty during the investigation.

"Our office has assisted the DA's office and the DPS in whatever they have requested," Goetschius said. He referred all questions about the investigation to Sistrunk.

Sistrunk said in an e-mail that his office's on-call attorney was called to the scene by the Texas City police as is typical in all fatal accidents where intoxication is suspected to have played a role. The prosecutor worked with troopers and police to gather evidence at the scene and made requests for further information, Sistrunk said.

He said blood drawn from White was taken to the DPS laboratory for expedited analysis.

Records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education show that White worked with the Port of Galveston Police Department from November 2001 to April 2004 before joining the Texas City Police Department.

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December 10, 2007

Today, the Dallas Morning News reported a fatality that occurred in connection with an 18-wheeler accident.

A 47-year-old Dallas man died Monday morning as he drove an 18-wheeler along State Highway 121 in Grapevine.

The man was driving southbound on the highway when the vehicle crossed into the northbound lanes of traffic, Grapevine police said. The vehicle struck a Mazda truck and flatbed trailer, pulled by a Chevrolet truck.

Initial investigation showed that the man may have had an unknown medical condition prior to the crash that caused his death, police said. He was pronounced dead at Baylor Medical Center at Grapevine. His identity was not being released pending notification of family.

No other injuries were reported. The accident remained under investigation.

All too often the cause of an 18 wheeler accident remains unclear.  Several personal injury cases I have handled required extensive investigation by police, our law firm and private investigators.