Houston, TX — A driver in Houston was arrested after a car accident that happened early this morning (Tuesday, January 27, 2015) that killed his passenger. This happened along Braeswood Boulevard at about 2:00 a.m. this morning and the drive who was arrested was identified as David Daniel Rodriguez, 23 years old.
The name of the man who was killed in the accident wasn’t released. Police said that Rodriguez was driving his Mercedes-Benz along Braeswood this morning around 2:00 when he lost control at South Rice Avenue.
His car swerved off the roadway and went into a yard, where it hit a few trash cans and a tree. The impact with the tree started a fire in the Mercedes and killed the man riding as a passenger. Rodriguez was actually ejected during the wreck and had to be taken to a hospital. His condition wasn’t released, but sources said that his condition wasn’t serious and that he would survive.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the driver had been charged with murder.
Map of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary:
Obviously, I don’t know all the details here, but I’m wondering if alcohol was a factor in the wreck? Given the time of morning that this happened, the age of the driver, and the fact that it involved speed, I don’t think that’s an unreasonable accusation. And while I’m talking about this, I couldn’t help but notice that the police are charging the driver with murder, allegedly.
Now, that may be a fitting charge for someone who gets into an accident and kills someone, intoxicated or not. But, let’s imagine alcohol was a factor, and let’s also imagine that the driver had been at a bar earlier that night, drinking. If that was the case and it could be proven that the bar served this driver while he was obviously under the influence, then I don’t think it’s out of line at all to think that the bar should face some charges as well. After all, they’re essentially “accomplices” to murder if they provide too much alcohol to someone who should have been cut off — and that person gets into an accident as a result.
This is a controversial topic, as you might guess, and I have some pretty strong feelings about it. Again, I don’t know whether alcohol was a factor here, but I find it interesting that the news is quick to vilify drivers who are charged with murder or even drunk driving, but almost no attention is paid to where the alcohol came from and who served it. Bars have a responsibility to serve alcohol in a safe manner, and giving someone more than they should drink is not safe. If alcohol had been a factor in this accident, I’m guessing the news wouldn’t have tried to look into where the alcohol came from. That says a lot about us as a society, in my opinion.
— Grossman Law Offices
