Archive for April, 2012

Contractor hurt in 60 foot fall at Malin International Ship Repair and Drydock

The Galveston Daily News is reporting that a contractor was seriously injured in a 60 foot fall while working on a roof at Malin International Ship Repair and Drydock in Galveston. The incident happened shortly before 11:00am on Wednesday April 18th. According to a spokesman for Galveston Police Department, the contractor had been working on the roof, pressure washing it, at the time of the fall. One of the roof panels he stepped on gave way and the man fell 60 feet, striking his head on a table when he landed. An ambulance hurried the man to UTMB Galveston in critical condition. A video of the scene is available at the Galveston Daily News’ web site. Malin International is located at Pier 40/41 in the Port of Galveston. The name of the injured worker has not been released.

A contractor was pressure washing the roof of this Malin International Ship Repair building when a roof panel gave way and the man fell 60 feet

Magna-Flow Environmental truck wreck shuts down Highway 90

A wreck today involving a car and a Magna-Flow Environmental Services truck shut down Highway 90 in both directions. Harris County Sheriff’s Department said the Magna-Flow truck flipped on its side into a ditch on the Beaumont Highway at Lamkin shortly after 8:30am. No word yet on whether there were any injuries as a result of the accident.

Trius Trucking 18-wheeler involved in accident at I-10 and Shepherd

All lanes of Interstate 10 eastbound were closed today for nearly four hours due to a multi-vehicle accident involving an 18-wheeler. Westbound traffic on I-10 was down to a single lane. The 18-wheeler overturned in the roadway, partially blocking one westbound lane, and fuel was spilled on the eastbound side. Two people involved in the accident where hurt, according to the Houston Chronicle’s report, and were transported to area hospital. The location of the accident was Interstate 10 near the Shepherd exit, which is a couple of miles from Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital. It rained heavily throughout the Houston are much of the day, though it is not known was role weather conditions played in the 18-wheeler accident, if any.
According to a report on KHOU’s web site, the 18-wheeler driver lost control near the Shepherd exit and jumped the center median, then collided with an eastbound vehicle, injuring the woman driving and sending her to the hospital (reportedly with non-life threatening injuries, thank goodness). From the media photographs, it appears the vehicle struck was a silver-colored Toyota Corolla. The 18-wheeler driver told police that another driver cut him off and he swerved, causing him to lose control. The 18-wheeler appears to belong to Trius Trucking, based out of Fowler, California. Channel 2’s report of the crash is here.

Head-on crash near Sugar Land airport when SUV crosses median

Police are trying to determine the cause of a head-on crash car accident near Sugar Land airport late Saturday night. A speeding SUV crossed the center line and struck a 2-door car head-on. The driver of the SUV was transported to hospital via ground ambulance with no serious injuries, but the driver of the silver-colored car, shown below, was taken by life flight in serious condition. Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here. Channel 2’s report is here. According to Channel 2, the driver of the car suffered a broken leg.

Channel 2 reports the driver of this car suffered a broken leg in the head-on crash

Chevy Malibu rear-ends Toyota Corolla on 290 and flips over

Channel 2 News is reporting a serious accident on Highway 290 last night.  A dark blue colored Chevrolet Malibu was reportedly weaving in and out of traffic on 290 when the Malibu driver crashed into the rear of a Toyota Corolla. That impact caused the Malibu to flip over onto its side, ejecting the driver. The accident happened shortly after 1:00am on Friday April 13th.  Police say both drivers are in stable condition in the hospital, and the driver of the Malibu was to be tested to determine whether intoxication was a factor in the crash.

The driver of this Chevy Malibu rear-ended a Toyota Corolla on US290 last night before flipping over, ejecting the driver

William Thomas Johnson charged with intoxication manslaughter for Eastex Freeway crash

William Thomas Johnson, 48, of Houston has been charged with intoxication manslaughter for his involvement in a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday that claimed the life of a 43-year old man driving a Volkswagen Jetta (see our previous blog post on the crash). Police say Johnson was drunk when he ran a red light crashing into the Jetta and striking other vehicles also. The pickup initially struck the passenger side of the blue Volkswagen Jetta, then struck three other vehicles that were heading westbound on Tidwell.

The crash happened at the intersection of the Eastex Freeway service road and Tidwell. Johnson reportedly was traveling at considerable speed when he entered the intersection: one witness estimated Johnson’s speed to be between 60 and 80 MPH. Video footage on Channel 11’s web site shows a newer model silver-colored pickup truck truck flipped over onto its passenger side, though it is not clear if that flipped truck is Johnson’s or one of the motorists he struck.

The driver of this Volkswagen Jetta was killed in the collision

For more than 23-years Smith & Hassler has represented the victims of intoxicated driving. If you have suffered due to a drunk driver’s selfish choices we want to help.

Fatal wreck on Eastex Freeway, drunk driving may be to blame for Volkswagen driver’s death

A driver was killed in a multi-vehicle collision last night in Houston and drunk driving may be the cause. Channel 13 reports that the driver of a pickup truck ran through a red light at the Eastex Freeway feeder road and East Tidwell intersection, crashing into a Volkswagen. The driver of the Volkswagen was killed in the collision, the pickup truck driver was not hurt. Police say the driver of the pickup truck failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the hospital for blood alcohol testing. The pickup truck appears to be a silver-colored Ford F-150 and the Volkswagen is a dark colored Jetta.

This picture from Channel 13's web site shows the overturned pickup truck involved in the crash

Car crashes through wall of Huntington Learning Center

A driver was injured in a one car accident on Tuesday April 10 when she crashed through the wall of the Huntington Learning Center in Pearland. The accident happened around 4:50pm; instructors and students scattered when the gray-colored Chevrolet car plowed through the corner of the building.The driver of the car was found unconscious but breathing and was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. It was not clear what caused the driver to lose control. Channel 11’s story is here.

Amanda Lynn Woods bond reduced in drunk driving death of April Herrington

On April 5th we posted to this blog regarding a fatal drunk driving collision on the Tomball Parkway. Today Channel 11 News reports on their web site that the bond has been reduced for Amanda Lynn Woods, the driver charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash. 22-year old Amanda Woods, who lists her employer on what appears to be her Facebook page, as Barney’s Billiard Saloon in Humble, Texas, has been charged with intoxicated manslaughter for the death of April Herrington, the driver of a Kia car that was struck by Woods’ pickup truck when Woods ran a red light.  Woods has also been charged with two counts of intoxication assault for injuring the two occupants of a Toyota Celica she collided with. Woods remains under a $30,000 bond for the intoxication manslaughter charge, but bond was reduced on the two assault charges from $30,000 to $15,000.

Harris County deputy Sheriffs say Woods was drunk when she ran a red light at the Tomball Parkway and Boudreaux intersection. Reportedly Woods told officers that she worked at a billiards hall in Humble and admitted to having a few drinks the night of the wreck. Woods failed a sobriety test performed by the deputies: prosecutors say Woods was two and a half time over the legal limit for intoxication. The Channel 11 story did not indicate what family members were left behind to mourn the loss of April Herrington in the wake of this tragedy, and no mention was made of how the occupants of the Toyota Celica are doing.

22-year old Amanda Lynn Woods has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with the drunk driving death of April Herrington

April Herrington's Kia car, struck by Amanda Woods' pickup truck

Driver of Kia killed in collision with pickup truck on Tomball Parkway

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a three car accident on the Tomball Parkway (Texas 249) has left one person dead. The wreck happened at around 4:10am in the northbound lanes of the parkway according to Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Officials temporarily shut down all three northbound lanes of Tomball Parkway as emergency workers cleared the scene.

According to an article on Channel 13’s web site, investigators spoke to an accident witness who said a female driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck was speeding when she ran a red light before entering the intersection of Highway 249 and Boudreaux. The pickup truck driver then hit two cars, one heading east and the other heading west. The lone driver of a gold-colored Kia 4-door car was killed in the accident. Also involved in the crash was a Toyota Celica with two occupants, both injured: the driver of the Celica was listed as being in critical condition. The woman driving the pickup truck admitted that she had been drinking at a bar where she works.

The driver of this Kia sedan was killed when the Chevrolet pickup ran a red light. The pickup driver had been drinking.

Smith & Hassler’s highly experienced personal injury attorneys aggressively represent clients in Houston and throughout Texas who have been injured by drunk drivers. If you or a family member have been the victim of a drunk driving accident, contact Smith & Hassler to speak to an attorney right away.