Houston Personal Injury Attorneys – Smith & Hassler

News Channel 2 is reporting that Gina Wiggins has been accused of driving drunk and causing a car accident in Houston that resulted in the death of another driver. Harris County Sheriff’s Office states that Wiggins was driving a Nissan Xterra SUV southbound in the 21000 block of FM2100 in Houston at about 6:15pm on Wednesday August 25, 2010. Detectives say Wiggins failed to stay in her lane and hit a Ford Escort coming from the other direction nearly head-on.  Angela Maxwell, driving the Escort, sustained injuries that proved fatal. Wiggins was transported to hospital where a blood sample was drawn, and she was subsequently charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.  Wiggins is being held in the Harris County Jail in lieu of $60,000 bail. The Houston Chronicle’s report is here.

August 6, 2010: On his way to pick up a car driven by a drunken driving suspect a Houston area tow truck driver was killed in an accident that allegedly also involved a drunk driver. The accident was on Jensen Road near Laura Koppe at about 1:30am in Houston, Harris County. Police say the wrecker driver Rogelio Flores, who has driven wreckers for 25-years, was cut-off by the other driver causing him to clip the car then lose control and crash into a utility pole and sign post. Flores’ employer describes him as being a hard working family man. The driver was taken into custody on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and may be charged with intoxicated manslaughter. Police officials report that the driver admitted he had been drinking and had just left a bar. View pictures of the accident here.

August 5, 2010: A Houston Police Department officer, Mark Hutchins, has been fired after a deadly wreck that involved alcohol.  Officer Hutchins has been charged with intoxicated assault with a motor vehicle. Hutchins was sworn-in as a police officer in 1997 and investigators have not released details of the car accident.

A fatal accident occurred  earlier this week involving a Metropolitan Transit Authority wrecker driver and a 64-year old woman whose identity has not been released.  Metro has since fired its driver Gregory Clark who failed a Federal Transit Administration– required alcohol test following the Tuesday August 3, 2010 accident. Clark’s wrecker was in service but was not hauling a bus at the time of the collision. The wrecker crashed into the female victim’s car at Scott Street and the south 610 Loop in Houston. The woman and her passenger were taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where the woman died. Metro and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office are working together to determine if criminal charges will be brought against Clark. Metro has stated that Clark was suspended for three days in May because he was found off his route. The Houston Chronicle’s story is here.

August 2, 2010: Houston Police Department is reporting that a 73-year old man hit and killed a 20-year old woman who was crossing a southeast Houston street, after which the man drove away.  William Jones has been charged with driving while intoxicated and also causing an accident resulting in injury or death. Investigators say the accident happened around 10:25pm at the 5800 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard near Griggs Road in Houston. The identity of the victim, who died at the hospital, has not been released.  Police officers nearby witnessed the accident and Mr. Jones was arrested shortly thereafter. Read the Click2Houston story here.