As you may recall, five cast members of the popular summer musical “Texas” died in a terrible crash near Dumas, Texas back on August 12, when their car went through a stop sign and slammed into a tractor-trailer. Among the fatalities were three West Texas A&M University theater students. At the time, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported that there were lots of empty alcohol containers in the wreckage, and they cited alcohol as a possible factor in the accident.
Well, last week, the Texas Department of Public Safety released toxicology reports and autopsy results for all five victims of that accident, and they show that only one of them had a blood-alcohol level (BAC) low enough to drive legally, and it wasn’t the driver.
According to the reports, Eric Harrison, 21, had a BAC of 0.059, below the legal limit of 0.08, although it’s possible his ability to drive would have been impaired, had he been driving. Passengers Julian Arredondo IV, 24, had a BAC of 0.099 and Andrew Duncan, 20, had a level of 0.091. Meanwhile, passenger Amanda Starz, 20, had a BAC of 0.131.
The driver, Clint Diaz, 20, the driver, was actually th drunkest, with a BAC of .165, which is more than twice the legal limit. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a BAC of 0.15 or higher can significantly reduce muscle control, and it can reduce the ability to process sound and vision, as well as the ability to pay attention while driving.
Timothy Johnson, a cast member who was the only crash survivor, suffered serious injuries in the wreck, which occurred after cast and crew members had left an end-of-year “Texas” cast party. He and Arredondo IV’s mother, June Bush, have filed a lawsuit against several show benefactors and organizers who produced the musical drama, alleging that they were responsible for providing safe transportation to and from the party, and that they failed to take steps to ensure that the driver of the car, Diaz, was “competent and capable” of getting the others home safely.
Drunk drivers are usually ultimately responsible for their choice to drive. But sometimes, those who knew or should have known that the person driving the car shouldn’t be behind the wheel is responsible, as well. The Texas Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer at Hill Law Firm has a lot of experience representing the victims of drunk driving accidents, and we will find out who is responsible, whether it’s those who choose to drive drunk or those who encourage drunk driving. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, call Hill Law Firm today.