There was a fatal car accident in Houston in the 500 block of Chartes Street that may be a wrongful death case. The woman that died was only 21 years old.
A Houston police officer was taking the woman to the Sobering Center for public intoxication. It appears that she was not restrained in a seatbelt in the back of the police car. An initial investigation shows that the police officer was driving, headed north, in the 500 block of Chartres and had a green light. That was when a red Chevrolet Cobalt was traveling east. The Cobalt was going down Texas Avenue and ran a red light. That was when the car crashed into the patrol vehicle. The woman in custody in the rear of the police vehicle was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. Unfortunately, she died at the hospital. During the accident, the woman had been ejected from the police vehicle. This is most likely a wrongful death case.
The Cobalt driver and passenger were taken to the hospital. It is suspected that the Cobalt driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Why did the police officer not restrain the lady? Was his car even equipped with functioning seatbelts? Could this woman have survived the crash if she was not thrown from the vehicle? If the police say that seat belts save lives, then why not put seatbelts on their passengers?
If you have information on this case or have questions about personal injury law, feel free to contact a Houston lawyer at 713-572-4900.
– Article By Richard Weaver
