Hit-and-Run Victim Still Seeking Answers
Heather Gant is still lying in a hospital as the result of a hit and run driver who left her to die at the side of the road.
Gant has already undergone one surgery to repair damage from serious injuries she sustained after the incident to her abdomen. She will be undergoing a second surgery this week in order to repair her broken pelvis.
Gant and her mother, Nena Laster, and law enforcement officials are determined to find both the driver that hit her and also the Good Samaritan who stopped to help her.
“I want to find the person who did this, I think people need to pay for what they did,” she said.
The Good Samaritan, whoever he or she is, quite possibly saved the life of Heather Gant.
Officials from the Balch Springs Police Department said they have no good description of the responsible vehicle. Heather Gant believes that it may have been a truck that hit her; however, she is not certain. Anyone with any information about the accident is urged to call Balch Springs traffic investigators at 972-557-6023.
Failure to stop after hitting a pedestrian, a bicyclist or another vehicle is considered a crime in the state of Texas. The driver, whoever they are, should have stopped their vehicle after hitting Heather. The charge of hit and run and the charge of failure to render aid are both extremely serious in the state of Texas. Hit and run accidents are among the most tragic kinds of accidents that happen across the U.S. Whether it is sheer indifference on the part of the driver responsible, or the fear that would cause a person to run after hitting someone, the results and responsibilities are the same when the culprit is finally caught.
Texas law makes it a requirement that anyone who is involved in an accident to stop following the crash. A person is also required by Texas law to take other actions as well. In the case of an accident involving property damage, injury or death, this is especially true.
If the accident involves injuries or death, you are required by law to immediately return to the scene of the accident and to render aid. You are also required by law to provide identification and your personal information, such as your driver’s license and insurance information if it is requested by officials. Police and other law enforcement officers will generally gather this information from everyone at the scene of the accident. Because of this, never drive without your driver’s license and proof of insurance card. If you are involved in an accident, or stopped by law enforcement for any reason, both of these items will be required of you.
If the accident involves damage to an occupied vehicle, stop your vehicle as close as possible without obstructing traffic or creating a further hazard. If the accident caused damage to an unattended vehicle, you still need to stop and attempt to locate the driver or owner of the vehicle and provide your contact information to them. If the owner or driver cannot be found, be sure to leave a note in a conspicuous place such as a windshield.
Be certain to give all of your contact information, including driver’s license and insurance information and the circumstances of the crash so that you can be contacted. All of these actions are required by law. Failure to comply with them can result in arrest, severe fines, and loss of license and insurance.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a hit-and-run accident, you need solid legal counsel on your side. Don’t delay. Call our offices as soon as possible. We will match you with the legal professional who can best handle your case. Our attorneys will sit down with you and discuss your case. Most importantly, we have years of experience in the Houston area and have successfully argued accident cases in the Texas courts. Call us now so that that you can get the compensation and peace of mind that you and your family deserve.