El Paso, TX — Authorities have named Armando Armas as one of three victims injured in an accident in which police believe alcohol may have contributed to. The accident took place on El Paso’s Loop 375 on Monday, June 2, 2014.
Armas and the two other victims had pulled off the side of the highway to change a tire when they were hit by George Espinoza. Police believe Espinoza was drunk at the time. Police say that when they spoke with him, his eyes were blood shot, his speech was slurred, and he said that he had had four to five beers that morning before leaving the house.
The other two victims have been identified as Joshua Lara and Jessica Castaneda.
The accident is still being investigated.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary
The news reports I’ve read about this article showed that there was enough evidence to say pretty definitively that the man responsible for this accident was drunk at the time. If that’s the case, then he’s of course liable for the accident. The man told the police that he was drinking at home before going out that morning, but let’s say that he had been drinking at a bar. There are laws in Texas designed to hold bars and similar establishments responsible for the very real roles they play in these sorts of accidents.
According to Texas dram shop laws, if a bar is serving someone who is visibly intoxicated, and that person goes out and causes an accident, then the bar is also liable for the accident. There are some who feel this only shifts blame away from those truly responsible. That’s not true. The people causing the accidents chose to drink and drive, and they should be held responsible for those decisions. However, if a bar is serving someone who should have been cut off four or five drinks back, well, that’s something they should also be held responsible for.
— Grossman Law Offices
