A two-car accident in Texas left a 21-year-old man dead on Nov. 1. Police believed that the 23-year-old woman who was driving the Jeep Cherokee that struck the deceased man’s car had been drinking earlier that night.
The deceased man, a soldier stationed at Fort Bliss, exited a fast food restaurant parking lot in the 9100 block of Dyer Street near Hondo Pass Drive in El Paso. Shortly after his Chevrolet Cruze entered the southbound lane of Dyer Street around 2:30 a.m., a Jeep driven by a 23-year-old woman rear-ended him. The force of the impact sent the Cruze onto the roadside curb where it crashed into a bus stop. The Jeep Cherokee was forced onto its side.
Court documents indicated that the 21-year-old man died instantly in the accident. One additional person was riding in the Cruze with him, but reports did not disclose whether he suffered any injuries.
The 23-year-old woman was transported to University Medical Center of El Paso for treatment of unspecified injuries. A DWI Task Force unit officer who interviewed her at the hospital noted the smell of alcohol on the woman’s breath, slurred speech and reddened eyes. The woman allegedly admitted to drinking up to nine beers that night and volunteered a blood sample. She was charged with intoxicated manslaughter and held on $25,000 bond.
Surviving family members of drunk driving accident victims may have depended upon their deceased loved one emotionally and financially. Victims’ lost income and burial expenses may put their families at a distinct financial disadvantage while the emotional toll of a sudden death often leaves surviving family members unable to continue their normal routines at home or at work. Personal injury attorneys can help victims’ families seek compensation from drunk drivers after fatal car accidents.
Source: NBC 9, “Suspect admits to drinking nine beers before allegedly killing Fort Bliss soldier,” Nov. 4, 2014
Source: KFOX, “Update: Woman arrested in deadly crash that killed a man“, Krista Garvin, November 03, 2014
