Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

A 56-year old man was killed last night in a major hit-and-run accident at the intersection of Harwin Drive and Fondren Road, and police are looking for the female driver who caused the deadly crash.

Houston police say a woman was driving a newer model silver-colored Nissan Pathfinder SUV at around 2:00am last night when she ran a red light at the intersection, t-boning a red pickup truck that was waiting to make a turn on Fondren Road.  The Pathfinder was apparently speeding because the impact was sufficient to shove the red pickup truck through the intersection and flip it onto its roof.

Investigators say the woman driver briefly checked on the 56-year old man who was trapped inside the pickup truck. Instead of helping the man she had just crashed into, the woman and her male passenger fled the scene on foot.  Houston Police Department is confident however that they will be able to identify the woman who was driving the Pathfinder.  Sergeant D. Thomas with HPD told reporters that they have fingerprints lifted from the Pathfinder and also DNA from the driver and passenger side airbags which deployed in the wreck.

Emergency responders tried to save the trapped man inside the pickup truck but he had already died from his injuries.  The name of the man in the pickup truck has not yet been released.

If you have information that may help police identify the driver of the Nissan Pathfinder or her passenger, please call the HPD hit and run unit at 713 247 4065 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713 222 TIPS.  Crash investigators believe the couple in the Nissan Pathfinder fled because they had just left a nearby club and the woman was probably driving while intoxicated. The woman is described as Hispanic and between the ages of 20 and 25.

This is an absolute disgrace: hopefully HPD will get the driver of the Pathfinder quickly identified and in custody. Our sympathies to the friends and family of the victim in the red pickup truck.

Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here. FOX News’ report can be read here. Channel 2’s coverage of the hit-and-run is here.

Police are investigating the cause of a fatal accident the morning of Thursday May 24th at around 6:00am. According to FOX News’ report, the accident happened on the 610 Loop South feeder near Calais Road. It appears a black minivan crashed into a stationary big rig trailer that was being used in an advertising campaign.

FOX News is reporting that firefighters had to rescue a driver and a passenger after a major two car accident at the 610 South Loop feeder road and Kirby Drive. The accident happened around 10:30pm on Wednesday May 23rd. The driver and passenger were traveling in a silver car eastbound on the 610 feeder when the silver car passed through a red light, causing a collision with a red SUV heading southbound on Kirby. The silver car was impacted on the driver’s side. The occupants of the silver car were taken to Ben Taub in serious but stable condition. According to the FOX News article, the driver of the red SUV was not hurt.

Each year Smith & Hassler helps hundreds of clients resolve their automobile accident injury claims in Houston and throughout Texas. Google “Smith & Hassler” and read online reviews from former Smith & Hassler clients.

ABC Channel 13 News is reporting that Joana Jaqueline Rodriguez has been charged with aggravated assault and is accused of driving drunk and trying to run down a police officer with her car when the officer tried to arrest her. On May 20^th police were responding to a trespassing call at an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Wirt Road. An officer arrived and reportedly found Ms. Rodriguez intoxicated.  30-year old Ms. Rodriguez got into her vehicle and started the engine, then refused to exit the vehicle when instructed to do so. She was then placed under arrest for public intoxication, and when the officer tried to remove her from the vehicle she put the vehicle in reverse and hit the accelerator. The officer was then pinned between the vehicle door and the passenger compartment as the vehicle traveled in circles.  Police say Rodriguez then put the vehicle in drive and tried to run over the officer, but the officer was able to take shelter between apartment buildings.  Rodriguez fled with the officer’s handcuffs still attached to one of her wrists.  Rodriguez’ vehicle was found at another apartment complex across the street and inside it were items that identified Rodriguez, including her passport.

Channel 2 is reporting that 91-year old Relva McCarty passed away days after a May 13 motor vehicle accident in Houston. Mr. McCarty was a passenger in a Mercury Mariner SUV that collided with a Toyota Camry around 8:30am on May 13th at the intersection of Beltway 8 and Hammerly. Mr. McCarty was rushed from the accident scene to Memorial Hermann Hospital, and from there transferred to Kindred Hospital where sadly he died on May 17th.  Police have said that both drivers involved were at fault for the collision.

KHOU is reporting that a morning accident involving a Woodlands Express bus and two other vehicle shut down inbound HOV lanes on Interstate 45 near Crosstimbers. The collision happened around 8:15am, the peak of rush hour. No word yet on whether anyone was injured in the crash.  Injured in a bus accident? Smith & Hassler’s experienced personal injury attorneys can help.

Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a man in the parking lot of the Club Olympus night club in the 9100 block of Winkler this morning. The accident happened around 5:30am this morning. Police say a man was driving erratically in the club’s parking lot: the man had previously been inside the club, possibly  drinking alcohol. He struck a man who was standing in the parking lot then crashed into an SUV before fleeing. The man was driving a full-size black-colored Dodge pickup truck with a lift kit and oversize off road tires. The Dodge truck will be damaged to the left front side. The suspect driver is a clean shaven Latino man in his mid-30’s. Anyone with information on the hit-and-run driver or his Dodge pickup should call HPD or Crime Stoppers. ABC Channel 13’s story is here.

Two drivers were injured in a car accident early this morning. The accident was at the intersection of Pierce and Dowling in Houston. According to police the driver of a Toyota was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Pierce and was running red lights. On reaching the intersection of Pierce and Dowling, the Toyota was struck by a Chevrolet Impala heading southbound. Police said the Impala had the green light when it entered the intersection. Both drivers were injured and were taken to the hospital in stable condition. The driver of the Toyota was pinned inside his vehicle and had to be extracted by heavy rescue. Channel 11’s report of the accident is here.