Fallen HPD Officer Kevin Will to be buried today
Today is Houston Police Department Officer Kevin Will’s funeral. Officer Will was killed in the line of duty Sunday, struck by a drunk driver while investigating a motorcycle accident on Houston’s North 610 Loop. Officer Will’s funeral service is to be held at Champion Forest Baptist Church and will be followed by a private burial service. 26-year old Johoan Rodriguez, driving a silver-colored Volkswagen Beetle, drove through a police barricade before fatally striking Officer Will. Rodriguez’ Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was reported to be .238 which is very nearly three times the legal limit for intoxication in the State of Texas. It is estimated Rodriguez was traveling around 80MPH when he struck Officer Will. Rodriguez also had a quantity of cocaine in his pocket at the time of his arrest. Rodriguez has been deported from the U.S. on two prior occasions and denied entry to the U.S. on one occasion: Rodriguez works construction in the Houston area. Rodriguez has been charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer, among other offenses. Prosecutors have stated Rodriguez is a member of the notorious MS-13 gang.
Officer Will leaves behind his wife who is 7-months pregnant with the couple’s first child together, a son, and also his 7 and 10 year old stepchildren.
In 2008 there were 3,382 fatalities resulting from motor vehicle accidents in the State of Texas: of those accidents 1,463 (which is 43%) were alcohol related. 1,269 of the alcohol-related fatalities involved drivers whose BAC was greater than .08, meaning they were legally intoxicated. Harris County consistently ranks top or near the top of the nation’s most heavily populated counties for DWI fatalities.
If you or a loved on have been victimized by an automobile accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident or truck accident caused by a drunk driver, call the experienced Houston personal injury attorneys at Smith & Hassler for a free consultation. The earlier in your case you call, the better: the insurance company will want you to settle for a small amount as early as possible and have you sign a release. This will limit the insurance company’s liability and prevent them from having to pay more later. Smith & Hassler’s personal injury attorneys have aggressively represented injured people in the Houston area and throughout Texas for more than 20-years, including bereaved family members bringing wrongful death lawsuits.