Houston Personal Injury Attorneys - Smith & Hassler

Aurora Garcia victim of fatal hit-and-run accident north of Tomball

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:26:48 +0000

49-year old Aurora Garcia and her 17-year old son were driving eastbound on Hardin Store Road north of Tomball when their vehicle was struck head-on by a Chevy pickup truck. Ms. Garcia was driving a 1996 Toyota Sedan and her 17-year old was her passenger. Trooper Kenneth Hebert with the Texas Department of Public Safety told Channel 2 News that a 2000 model Chevy pickup truck was heading westbound on Hardin Store Road when it failed to maintain its lane in a curve, crossed the center line and struck Ms. Garcia’s car head-on. It appears that the pickup fled the scene, rather than the occupants fleeing the scene as earlier reports had indicated. Although a perimeter was set up, police have not yet caught the culprits. Ms. Garcia’s son was rushed to hospital in critical condition; Ms. Garcia herself was pronounced dead at the scene.

Photo credit: Channel 2 News Houston

HPD Officer hurt in major car accident on 290 at Hollister

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:55:19 +0000

A Houston Police Department officer is lucky to be alive after his patrol car was struck by a pickup truck in a major car accident on US 290 at Hollister Road. Investigators say the office was using his patrol car to block traffic while working the scene of another accident when his vehicle was struck at around 4:00 a.m. Both the police officer and the driver of the pickup truck were taken to hospital. Channel 2 Houston’s story does not state whether the driver of the pickup was impaired, but someone hits a police car on the freeway at 4:00 a.m. in Houston, the probability of alcohol involvement is extremely high.

Photo credit: Channel 2 News

HFD Captain injured in accident with drunk driver

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:05:10 +0000

A Houston Fire Department Captain was injured over the weekend when his fire truck was hit by a suspected drunk driver. At 10:30 p.m. on Saturday a fire crew was on their way to a call on US 290 and was making a turn onto West 34th Street in Houston when their fire truck was hit by a pickup. The Captain was taken to the emergency room, fortunately not for life-threatening injuries. The driver who caused the accident was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. The fire truck had lights and sirens operating when it was hit by the pickup truck.

Photo credit: Channel 2 News Houston

James Dean Burnett killed by falling pipe at BHP Billitron site in Eagle Ford

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:17:29 +0000

25-year old James Dean “Jimmy” Burnett of Goliad, Texas died Monday May 6th when a pipe fell on him at a construction job site in Karnes County, Texas. The San-Antonio Express News reports that the accident happened at a construction site operated by BHP Billitron Petroleum. Jimmy worked for an oilfield services company called Jet Maintenance, Inc. based out of Victoria, Texas. Services are pending with Grace Funeral Home in Goliad. BHP is one of the largest operators in the Eagle Ford, with more than 330,000 acres in the region. BHP Billitron Petroleum is the Houston-based oil and gas division of the Australian mining company that purchased Petrohawk Energy Corp. in 2011. According to OSHA, there have been 11 worker deaths since 2009 due to work site accidents at the Eagle Ford.

Anthony Garcia allegedly rear ended police car while driving drunk

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:36:34 +0000

Police arrested 29-year old Anthony Adam Garcia for allegedly driving drunk and crashing into the back of a HPD patrol car that was conducting a traffic stop (ironically on another suspected drunk driver). The three car accident happened on the I-45 feeder road near Aldine Bender at around 3:00 a.m. on Monday. The stopped police car had its lights on at the time, but Garcia apparently didn’t slow down, and obviously didn’t move over. Garcia’s vehicle flipped over in the wreck and the impact was enough to push the police car forward into the pickup truck stopped ahead of it, shattering the back window glass of the cruiser. According to Channel 2’s report nobody was injured, including a police dog sitting in the back of the cruiser.

Motorcycle hit by wrong way driver in US 59 HOV lane

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:18:56 +0000

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

18 wheeler accident on Aldine Bender kills one

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Sat, 04 May 2013 12:30:14 +0000

There isn’t much by way of detail but Channel 13 is reporting a fatal 18 wheeler accident last night on Aldine Bender at the Hardy Toll Road. A car crashed with an 18-wheeler and the cab of the truck burst into flames. The driver of the 18-wheeler sustained minor injuries, but there were at least three people in the car and one of them died. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Photo credit: ABC Channel 13 News

Michoacan restaurant hit and run sends woman to hospital

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:42:03 +0000

According to police investigators a 51-year old woman was transported to the emergency room with a possible broken leg after a hit-and-run accident in front of the Michoacan Restaurant in the 2300 block of Wirt Road in northwest Houston. The woman and her mother were standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant when a white SUV struck the woman and also crashed into the front of the building. Per Channel 2’s news article, witnesses saw a Hispanic female climb into the driver’s seat while it was occupied by a Hispanic male, at which point it appears one of them hit the accelerator causing the SUV to shoot forward. The SUV took off without stopping to provide information or render aid. Hopefully there is surveillance footage available from the nearby businesses, though it will probably require someone coming forward to identify the hit-and-run driver or the SUV.

Off-duty deputy dies in motorcycle accident on FM 2920 at Kuykendahl

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:08:30 +0000

There was a fatal accident Saturday morning between an SUV exiting a Kroger parking lot and an off duty HCSO deputy riding his motorcycle. The deputy was riding westbound on FM 2920 at around 11:00 a.m. when the SUV pulled into the deputy’s travel lane: he attempted to swerve around the vehicle but was unable to do so. The impact was enough to break the deputy’s motorcycle helmet. He was air-lifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he passed away. Precinct 4 will handle the investigation of the crash, though on the face of it, it appears the white Chevy Tahoe SUV failed to yield the right-of-way to the deputy’s motorbike. Channel 11’s story. According to Channel 13’s story, the deputy works at Harris County Jail. The Channel 13 account of the accident is somewhat more detailed: it says the deputy was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting the SUV leaving Kroger where he struck another SUV that was in the center turn lane waiting to turn left across 2920. Smith & Hassler Law Firm.

ExxonMobil refinery fire in Beaumont – 12 workers injured

Smith & Hassler - Houston, TX Injury Lawyers — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:24:43 +0000

Local media outlets are reporting a fire at the ExxonMobil refinery in Beaumont, Texas has injured twelve workers. At around 10:30 a.m. today, Wednesday April 17^th, a fire broke out in a process unit that was down for maintenance at the time. ExxonMobil states the fire was quickly controlled and is no longer burning. Injuries to twelve contract workers have been reported, six of those workers were transported to area hospital for medical attention. Three of the injured victims are reported as having suffered severe burns. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. The contract workers are employed by Signature Industrial Services.

Local media coverage of the ExxonMobil refinery fire in Beaumont: ABC Channel 13 News, KHOU Houston, Channel 2 News Houston, FOX News Houston, Houston Chronicle.