Posts Tagged ‘Galveston’

Galveston seawall crash kills driver and passenger

A Sunday morning crash on the Galveston seawall has killed a passenger and driver. A 2006 PT Cruiser, driver by 19-year old Kendall Reed from Crosby, left the roadway and struck a concrete pillar around 3:00 a.m. Sara Santana, age 20, was pulled from the vehicle by bystanders before it burst into flame with the driver still trapped inside. Mr. Reed died at the scene, despite emergency responders’ efforts to save him. Galveston P.D. are working to determine the cost of the fatal accident, including whether alcohol was a factor.

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Scene of the Sunday morning car accident

Galveston teens killed in accident with Republic Services gargage truck

16-year old Christopher Ragle and 16-year old Gabriella Giles, both students of Ball High School in Galveston, were tragically killed this morning when their pickup truck collided with a Republic Services garbage truck on Stewart Road near 84th Street shortly before 7:00 a.m. The Galveston Daily News web site has detailed coverage of this tragic accident.

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Photo credit: KHOU

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Gabriella Giles and Christopher Ragle

Adrian Paul Mills charged with intox manslaughter in Galveston seawall crash

38-year old Adrian Paul Mills has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after a car accident on Galveston’s seawall that claimed the life of a 72-year old man and injured his wife. Apparently Mills was driving his Infiniti QX56 SUV eastbound on Seawall Boulevard when he attempted a u-turn, causing him to collide with the side of a minivan driven by Ashley Boyd whose wife Alice was riding as passenger. Ashley Boyd was pronounced dead at the scene and Mrs. Boyd was rushed to UTMB hospital.

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Photo credit: Jennifer Reynolds

1 dead, 4 hurt when Mustang crashes off Galveston seawall

18-year old Irvin Ruiz died Sunday when a 2004 Ford Mustang driven by an 18-year old friend left the roadway and went over the Galveston seawall near 1st Street at the far east end of the island. The four others in the car were the driver Aaron Ceballos (19), Luis Aguirre (16), Alexis Williamson (14) and Celeste Plesada (14). Ruiz was a student in the Texas City Independent School District and had planned to join the U.S. Army after graduation. Police are investigating the accident and have not yet determined whether Ceballos will face charges. Channel 2’s article is here.

Mike Grayson charged in deadly accident with horse drawn carriage

Mike Grayson of Conroe, Texas has been charged with intoxication manslaughter and three counts of intoxication assault in connection with a crash at the intersection of 21st Street and Avenue L in Galveston. At around 11:00 p.m. Saturday July 21st Grayson’s black sedan struck a horse-drawn carriage, killing one person and injuring four others. Police say 21-year old Grayson attempted to flee the accident scene but was kept there by witnesses until the police arrived. At the time of the accident Grayson told police that he had been on medication: he failed a sobriety test and later admitted he had been drinking. Four people in the carriage were transported to the hospital where one victim died. One witness said the carriage rolled over three times, finally coming to rest on top of Grayson’s car. Grayson’s bond has been set at $250,000. Channel 2’s story is here. Channel 13’s story is here. Galveston Daily News’ story is here.

21-year old Mike Grayson of Conroe

Judge orders Galveston drunk driver to pay victim $862,118 in restitution

One of the frustrating aspects of drunk driving is that first time drunk drivers often face fines and probation but relatively soon after causing a drunk driving accident they have done everything the criminal law system required them to do and can move on with their life. Many times the people they injure continue to suffer from the effects of the accident, physically and psychologically, for many years.
A Galveston judge has ordered a drunk driver who crashed into a woman’s car, seriously injuring her, to pay the woman $862,118 in restitution to cover her medical expenses. Sarah Hrachovina Coreas, age 21, was seriously hurt in the crash that happened 18-months ago, and was present in court when the drunk driver‘s punishment was decided. Omar Santana Ortiz, 31, pleaded guilty to intoxication assault for the accident. The crash happened at the Gulf Freeway frontage road and 61st Street on October 18, 2010 – Ortiz was more than twice the legal limit for intoxication. Three cars were involved in the accident.
The restitution payments will be broken up into monthly payments of $7,184. Ortiz’ 10-year prison sentence was probated and he was ordered to do 10-years of community supervision. Who knows if Ortiz will ever repay anywhere near the $862,118 the judge ordered him to repay Sarah Coreas, but having the debt hang over him will hopefully serve as a reminder and go some way to deterring him from driving drunk and hurting someone else in another accident. Channel 2’s story is here.