Texas drivers know that drinking and driving is dangerous, because drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol have serious potential to cause harm to themselves and/or others. When a driver repeatedly shirks the rules, even ignoring court-ordered punishments, lives are at risk, and there is an increased risk of car or pedestrian accidents. While some offenders learn a valuable lesson, it seems others do not.
Reportedly, a Texas man previously convicted of several DUI crimes was yet again drunk behind the wheel. According to reports, the man ran a stop sign, causing him to strike a pedestrian that was using the crosswalk. When police arrived on the scene, they administered sobriety tests, which the driver failed.
The pedestrian was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries suffered, and in the meantime, police began to investigate. To the surprise of those authorities on the scene, they discovered that the driver's vehicle had been fitted with an interlock device, installed by court order after several previous DUI convictions. The device is meant to ensure that a vehicle does not start until the driver provides a breath sample, documenting that there's no alcohol in the driver's system. This particular individual seems to have found a way to evade the device, perhaps having a sober party provide the breath sample, as has been reported in other cases.
Though not all pedestrian accidents are the result of such circumstances, victims may suffer serious injury no matter what caused the crash. Medical bills, funeral expenses, loss of wages due to inability to work and other matters may fall upon a victim -- or the victim's loved ones -- to attend to. Many victims choose to seek recovery of monetary damages in civil court. An experienced attorney can help get the ball rolling in pursuing the justice that the client deserves.
