It seems to be making the news more often that officials in Texas are looking deeper into deadly car accidents when alcohol is involved. Drivers who have been drinking and cause fatal accidents had to get their alcohol from somewhere. A bartender has recently been arrested after one of his customers allegedly killed a pedestrian in a fatal accident last month.
A report stated the customer had been drinking at a Mexican restaurant, and after leaving the establishment, he hit a man who was pushing a shopping cart across the street. The pedestrian crashed through the windshield and landed in the passenger seat. The customer drove approximately a half mile down the road with the body of the pedestrian in his car. He then stopped and got out of his car, attempting to enter a bar. Police were called to the scene and the customer was charged with intoxication manslaughter.
A spokesperson for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), which investigates these types of situations, claims the bartender at the restaurant had continued to serve the customer, even knowing he had had too much to drink. It’s against the law to serve alcohol to minors, and it’s also against the law to serve those who appear intoxicated. The TABC arrested the bartender, who is facing a fine of nearly $1,500 and possibly as much as a year in jail.
The pedestrian’s family appears to have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit against both the driver, the bartender and the bartender’s employer. An award amount can be based on expenses related to the funeral and burial, wages lost as a result of the life taken and other monetary damages, including pain and suffering. A Texas attorney who has experience representing families who have lost one of their own in a fatal accident can offer advice and support throughout the claims process.