Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

A motorcycle rider was injured in an accident this morning when he was hit by a wrong-way driver in the HOV lane of the Southwest Freeway (US 59) during this morning’s rush hour.  The accident happened around 8:30 a.m. at 59 and Hillcroft.  METRO officials say the wrong-way driver was elderly, and that after the motorcycle was struck by the wrong-way vehicle it then hit a third vehicle.  The motorcyclist was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston.

Photo credit: Tim Wetzel / KHOU 11 News

35-year old Jennifer Lopez Harden from Spring, Texas has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with a deadly motorcycle accident Sunday morning. Lopez Harden was taken into custody after the 3:00 a.m. crash on Birnham Wood Boulevard near Riley Fuzzel Road in Spring. She is accused of driving drunk when she swerved into a center lane, crashing head on into a motorcycle driven by 42-year old John McSwain, also of Spring. Mr. McSwain was reportedly thrown 100 feet in the impact, and he died at the scene. Harden and her passenger were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

A person named Jennifer Lopez Harden with a date of birth of May 8, 1978 was arrested just a few months ago by Houston Police Department on 12/18/2012 and charged with public intoxication, according to this web site.

Photo credit: Houston Chronicle

Photo credit: Houston Chronicle

A motorcyclist was killed in a four vehicle collision that happened yesterday afternoon on the northbound West Sam Houston Tollway at Briar Forest Drive. Precinct 5 deputies say that around 5:20 p.m. a motorcycle rider slowed for traffic ahead when he was rear-ended by an SUV. The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike: the bike traveled forward and hit another vehicle while the SUV crashed into another car. The victim, who appeared to be a middle aged man, died at the scene. Deputies say charges against the SUV driver are possible, but there is no indication alcohol impairment was the cause of the accident. Channel 13’s article states the motorcycle rider was struck from behind by a Honda Goldwing, though that is almost certainly an error since the Honda Goldwing is a type of motorcycle. The victim was probably riding a Honda Goldwing.

Investigators believe the slick roads caused by today’s heavy rains in Houston contributed to a fatal motorcycle accident on the West Sam Houston Tollway feeder near Boheme Drive. Police say it was pitch black and very wet when the accident happened at 5:30 a.m. today. Police told Channel 2 that the driver of a dark blue Chevrolet Suburban and the motorcyclist were both heading southbound on the feeder road with the intention of turning left onto Boheme. Investigators say the driver of the Suburban, instead of making the left turn, skidded in a straight line into the motorcycle. The motorcycle rider was trapped under the Suburban and died at the scene. While the Suburban driver was questioned by police and was given a breathalyzer test, police do not think alcohol was a factor in causing the accident.

A motorcyclist fell 30 – 40 feet from an elevated portion of I-10 after an accident yesterday and was rushed to hospital.  The facts aren’t very clear from Channel 13’s report, but it appears the motorcycle rider either swerved to avoid an 18-wheeler truck or collided with an 18-wheeler, causing him to fall off an elevated portion of Interstate 10 East. Fortunately it appears the man wore a helmet, probably saving his life. A gold-colored Toyota appears in Channel 13’s video footage (see below) and the vehicle has passenger side front end damage, but again, there’s no indication that vehicle was involved in the motorcycle accident.

75-year old Neil Smith has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the death of 54-year old Danny Hunt.  On Saturday November 3rd Danny Hunt and his son Chase Hunt, an off-duty Galveston County Deputy Sheriff, were riding their motorcycles on Highway 6 near FM 2004 it Hitchcock, Texas around 1:00 a.m. Investigators say that at some point Chase’s baseball cap fell off so the men pulled to the side of the road and chase went to retrieve his hat.  At that point Neil Smith’s Ford SUV struck Danny Hunt. Smith continued driving for about a half mile until damage to the SUV forced him to stop.  Danny Hunt was pronounced dead at the scene. Channel 2’s story is here. Galveston Daily News story here. This weekend marked the conclusion of the Lone Star Rally in Galveston, a motorcycle rally that drew 500,000 people to Galveston Island. According to initial police reports, 19 people were charged with drunken driving, including Neil Smith.

Neil Smith

Amado Huerta, 44, a husband, father of five children and 16-year veteran of the Houston Police Department, died in a motorcycle accident over the weekend. Huerta was driving his Honda Goldwing motorcycle northbound on the South Freeway Sunday evening around 8:30 p.m. when a silver-colored Pontiac Grand Am made an unsafe lane change, striking the motorcycle. Huerta was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police say the driver was likely not impaired and the accident investigation is ongoing. Huerta joined HPD in 1995 and worked as a motorcycle officer in the traffic division. The Houston Chronicle’s report is here.

Northbound lanes of Interstate 45 were shut down last night after a fatal motorcycle accident in Conroe, Texas. A woman was riding on the back of a motorcycle when the bike hit a median throwing the woman off. She was then struck and killed by another three-wheeled motorcycle/trike. The man who had been driving the motorcycle with the woman on the back then fled the scene of the accident, and police are trying to locate him. Channel 2’s report.