DUI Leads to Tragedy
Four victims were killed in a crash over the weekend have been released. The four victims, whose names were recently released, were trying to assist a stranded motorist in Burleson.
Police said that a red pickup truck crashed into a white pickup truck and an SUV that had broken down near the Spinks Airport.
The two Good Samaritans, Shelby Boyles, 21, and her mother Hollie Boyles, 42, came out of their home late Saturday night to help Beanna Mitchell, 24 when her SUV had broken down on the road. They were joined by Bryan Jennings, a youth pastor, age 43 who was driving a white pickup truck.
All four were killed when the red pickup truck crashed into the white pickup truck and the SUV.
The red pickup containing seven teenagers, mostly students at Central High School in Keller, and a man in his 30’s struck the two stopped vehicles. The driver of the red pickup also managed to hit a white Volkswagen that was coming in the opposite direction. The teenage driver and passenger were injured. There were two children riding in the white pickup truck with Jennings, but they were unhurt.
Two people in the red pickup truck, including the driver, were still in the hospital as of Monday.
Sixteen people total were involved in the accident.
According to Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Terry Grisham, alcohol may have played a part in the accident but commented, “We have to do more investigation to determine what sort of role alcohol may have played,” he said. Grisham also indicated that driver inexperience may also have played a role.
Driving after drinking is never a smart move. If you know you will be consuming alcohol, always have a designated driver. Or better yet, stay in one place until you are sober. Factors such as your weight, age, sex and other factors can affect how alcohol affects you. The State of Texas Beverage Alcohol Commission has put together a Blood Alcohol Concentration Chart here:
The chart approximates the Blood Alcohol Consumption or BAC over time along with the number of drinks that a person has had. The chart can help you gauge how long you will need to wait before your BAC reaches a safe level for driving again. As in all things, please use your best judgment and common sense. Waiting to drive until you are completely sober is the best course of action.
In the State of Texas, the limit of Blood Alcohol Concentration or BAC is is 0.08%. This is the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. If you are a holder of a commercial driver’s license, this limit is now 0.04%. The newly-lowered level for holders of commercial driver’s licenses is now the law across the entire United States.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a serious accident involving alcohol, give our offices a call. One of our experienced attorneys will discuss the specifics of your case. We have years of experience in DUI and accident cases. Our legal representation can help you to recoup not only the cost of damages to your vehicle, but also medical treatment, loss of work or wages, and potential legal charges which might have been incurred, as well as pain and suffering and personal loss or wrongful death. Let us help you. Your initial consultation is free.
