Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

An obituary for car crash victim Kaat Debeuckelaer published in the Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that Kaat’s funeral will be held today at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Coleyville, Texas. Kaat’s family and friends will gather to pay their respect and say their goodbyes to the 21-year old University of Texas student who died tragically on January 5, 2012 in a single car accident along with Kaat’s boyfriend Kenneth “Kenny” Joseph Lark (23) and Southlake attorney Ronald Eddins (40).

It is clear that Kaat is going to be terribly missed by her family and friends. Kaat’s obituary includes the following tribute:

Her smile and bright blue eyes lit up every room she walked into. She loved her family and friends fiercely and would do anything to protect them. She had been a fighter ever since she was born prematurely, never giving up and working hard to achieve her dreams. Kaat had a positive impact on so many people during her brief time with us. She was the best listener and never judged. It didn’t matter whether she knew someone well or whether she had just met the person, she always made you feel at home. Her devotion spread to more than just her friends and family, as burnt orange ran through her blood. Kaat had so many more things to do. She had yet to see her Longhorns win a BCS Bowl game. She never got to walk into her first class at dental school. We will never see how the plans that she and Kenny made for their future blossom. They were so much in love and everyone who knew them was sure they would spend the rest of their lives together.

Kaat died January 5, 2012 while riding as a passenger in a Porsche Panamera sports car driven by Ronald Eddins. Preliminary findings by law enforcement investigating the accident suggest the Porsche was traveling at a high rate of speed when it left the roadway and crashed into the Las Colinas Canal near Dallas, Texas. Kaat and Kenny apparently had no prior connection to Eddins, and it appears a chance meeting at a hotel bar was the couple’s first encounter with the prominent Southlake lawyer.

Media reports state that a toxicology report is pending to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the crash. Presumably there will be an attempt by authorities to retrieve and analyze the event data recorder or “black box” from the Porsche Panamera to extract crash data, though whether the device will be operable after being submerged in water is an open question.

Kaat’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to a charity of the well-wisher’s choice.

Services for Kenny Joseph Lark will be held Saturday January 14, 2012 at Epiphany Lutheran Fellowship Hall in Houston, Texas. Kenny’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to a charity of the donor’s choice, or alternatively to the Kenneth J. Lark Memorial Fund.

Our prayers are with the young couple’s families.

Kaat Debeuckelaer and Kenny Lark

According to the Houston Chronicle, Tomball Police Department patrol officer Kristina Tikal suffered a fractured shoulder blade when she was knocked down by a vehicle during a January 2, 2012 incident. Officer Tikal apparently walked up on a 17-year old female about to have sex with a male companion in a parked vehicle: the teenager sped away from the scene, striking Officer Tikal. The officer also sustained a hip injury, an elbow injury and abrasions to her arms and legs: she was treated and released from Tomball Regional Hospital.

Apparently the scene unfolded when Officer Tikal was leaving her apartment to head to work and noticed a Honda Civic parked with the rear door open, and when she walked up on the vehicle the male and female were in the back of the vehicle with no pants on. As the officer radioed for backup the female climbed into the driver’s seat and put the Honda in reverse: she disregarded the officer’s instructions to stop and reversed at high speed, knocking the officer about 10 feet. The Honda also struck a parked pickup truck before speeding away. An anonymous tip lead police to the Honda’s location, and the female suspect who was at Tomball High School went with her mother to the police station.

The 17-year old female driver now faces felony charges of aggravated assault against a public servant, evading arrest and detention with a vehicle. Hopefully there is plenty of insurance on the Honda Civic: with a fractured shoulder blade and the other injuries, Officer Tikal may not be medically cleared to return to work for some time, not to mention the physical impairment associated with that kind of injury. In a situation like this, if an injured pedestrian such as Officer Tikal has underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, that coverage would apply to help cover damages if the at-fault driver does not have sufficient coverage. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage would apply if the at-fault driver did not have any insurance.

We certainly wish Officer Tikal a speedy recovery and return to patrol.

Tomball Police Department Patrol Officer Kristina Tikal (2nd from right), injured in a January 2, 2012 auto versus pedestrian incident.