Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

A Channel 11 News story has identified 16-year old Tristan Martin as the teenage driver of an 18-wheeler pulling a loaded horse trailer that struck and killed Amanda Omo-lyamu (38) and Shun Jones (48) on Interstate 70 near Limon, Colorado. Omo-lyamu of Balch Spring, Texas and Jones of Carrollton, Texas were stopped changing a spare tire at the time of the accident.

Tristan Martin’s 37-year old father Michel Martin had initially said he had been driving the 2003 Volvo tractor trailer, but police investigation determined Tristan was behind the wheel at the time. Very soon after the impact Tristan Martin’s friends, who had been following the big rig in another vehicles, picked up Tristan and drove him away from the accident scene leaving his father Michel behind to speak to the police.

Some states permit teenagers to get a commercial driver’s license, but they must be at least 18-years old. Interstate truckers must be at least 21-years old. Lydia Martin, Tristan’s aunt, is quoted in the Channel 11 article as telling reporters that Tristan didn’t need a commercial driver’s license because the vehicle only had one axle and they considered it to be a personal farm vehicle. Authorities in Colorado are still investigating whether Tristan and his father were in compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Amanda Omo-lyamu’s husband Emmanuel said he “…would have preferred somebody capable of handling a truck like that was the one behind the wheel.” Emmanuel told reporters that Amanda had recently lost her job at a Marshall’s department store and was trying to reconnect with old family members.

A motorcyclist was killed last night on FM 1093 near FM 1464 when his motorcycle left the roadway on a curve and crashed into a field. The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken via life flight to the hospital where he died. The cause of the motorcycle accident remains under investigation.

A METRO bus driver and six bus passengers are injured after an accident this morning near the South Loop and Scott Street. According to Channel 13’s report a pickup truck pulling a flatbed trailer came off the 610 Loop and ran a red light. The bus hit the trailer causing the trailer to flip over. Channel 2’s report can be read here.

Smith & Hassler has the privilege of representing three of the child passengers injured in the Alpha Kids Center van accident that injured 16 children. The children’s mother retained Smith & Hassler to represent her 11-year old daughter, 9-year old son and 8-year old son who were injured in the crash. New information has come to light that, according to prosecutors involved in the case, the driver of the daycare van Conception Coronado did not have a driver’s license: you can read Channel 13’s report here. Today Coronado and Darryl Freeman (owner of Alpha Kids Center) appeared before a judge to hear the charges against them: injury to a child, criminal negligence. Coronado is being held without bond because she is in the country illegally. Police say the kids were injured when Coronado ran a red light: the van did not have an adequate number of seat belts or child seats.

Yesterday’s foul weather in Houston may have played a part in a multi-vehicle accident that injured 18 people today, including 16 children riding in a Alpha Kids’ Center extended daycare passenger van.  The accident happened around 3:30 p.m. on Gulf Bank near Beltway 8. It appears as many as four vehicles were involved in the accident. The children, aged between 4 and 12, were returning from a field trip. The children were transported to hospital as a precaution. Channel 11’s report is here. Channel 2’s report is here. Channel 13’s report is here.

Update: Channel 13 is now reporting that the driver of the Alpha Kids Daycare van is facing felony charges for the accident. The report states the van was heading eastbound of West Gulf Bank when the van driver ran a red light and was t-boned by a pickup truck heading northbound on the service road. In addition to being charged for running the red light, the van driver was also charged with child endangerment, a state jail felony. Investigators say there were too many children traveling in the van, and not enough seat belts or child seats. Thank goodness the accident wasn’t more severe, given that it appears there were unrestrained kids in the van.

Update 2: Channel 11 is reporting that Conception Coronado, the driver of the van, and Darryl Freeman, owner of Alpha Kids’ Daycare, have been charged in connection with the crash. Freeman was charged with allowing the students to be transported without restraints and with too many passengers in the van. Coronado was issued a citation for running the red light and causing the crash. Both Coronado and Freeman have been charged with injury to a child/criminal negligence.

Injured in a motor vehicle accident and not sure what to do? Smith & Hassler has practiced only personal injury law since 1989 and has helped thousands of injured clients recover their damages. Contact Smith & Hassler for a free consultation, 24 hours a day.

Place say an early Monday morning rear-end car accident was caused by an SUV driver operating his vehicle without his glasses. A man driving an SUV failed to see a car at a stop sign on Mullins Drive and Jessamine Street in Houston. The man without glasses was taken to hospital with whiplash and three women in the car that was rear-ended sustained injuries. No word on whether the driver of the SUV will face charges.

A woman died this afternoon in a two vehicle accident on the East Freeway. Investigators told local news outlets that a woman was driving an Isuzu Rodeo SUV when she lost control and hit the inner guardrail on the inbound East Freeway at Monmouth. A Dodge pickup truck was unable to stop in time to avoid the Isuzu and struck the SUV. The Isuzu flipped over but landed upright, however the woman inside died at the scene. The driver of the SUV is identified by a Channel 2 story as 52-year old Debra Wuneburger. Channel 13’s story is here.

Alleged drunk driver responsible for head-on crash in Santa Fe, Texas: 53-year old Tony Rainey, pictured below, has been charged with two counts of intoxication assault in connection with a major car accident on July 4^th in Santa Fe, Texas that seriously injured a young woman and a little girl. Rainey is in custody on $100,000 bond.

Santa Fe Police say Tony Rainey was driving westbound on FM 1764 around 9:00pm when he suddenly swerved into the eastbound lanes crashing head-on into a vehicle driven by Terry Regnier.  25-year old Ashley Jackson and a five-year old girl were a passenger in Regnier’s vehicle. Both Ashley and the little girl suffered serious injuries and were life-flighted to hospital: thankfully they are now in stable condition. Ashley suffered facial fractures in the accident.

Two others were injured in the accident and were taken by ground ambulance to the hospital. Testing performed at the crash scene determined that Tony Rainey was legally intoxicated at the time of the crash. He was taken to the hospital for a mandatory blood draw and was then charged with intoxication assault. Rainey is currently in custody pending his transfer to Galveston County Jail. FOX News’ story is here.

According to the Galveston Daily News’ report, police found a spilled beer on the floorboard of Rainey’s vehicle. Hopefully Tony Rainey has plenty of automobile insurance to cover the injuries and damage caused. Speedy recovery to Ashley Jackson and the little girl.