Charged with Intoxicated Assault, Driver Claims She Was Reaching for Water Bottle
In a devastating Thanksgiving weekend automobile crash, an SUV plowed into two young girls walking on a sidewalk in a quiet residential street in Tarrant County. One 11-year-old girl had to be air ambulanced to Cook Children’s Medical Center and remains hospitalized with broken bones in both legs and head injuries. This happened at 9:45 o’clock a.m.
As I often say, what in the hell is going on out there?
The 28-year-old driver, who sustained back and neck injuries, was arrested and charged with intoxication assault. Drug and alcohol blood tests are pending, but police suspect the driver was drunk or on drugs at the time of the vehicle crash because of her erratic driving and conduct after the accident. The driver, Laura Martin, says she was not drinking or on drugs, but that she was angry after an argument with her mother and that she was reaching for a spilled water bottle when the car accident occurred.
Whether because of alcohol or a distraction, the fact remains that Ms. Martin should never have gotten behind the wheel. Her reckless driving has put a little girl in the hospital with severe, potentially permanent, injuries and injured another young lady.
Tarrant County Driver Tried to Flee Scene of Accident
According to witnesses, Martin’s Ford Expedition hit a
vehicle on the sidewalk of a Fort Worth suburban neighborhood street. She then tried to
flee the scene of the car crash by turning onto Sendera Ranch Boulevard
straight into oncoming traffic, having driven onto the wrong side of the divided four-lane road. The erratic driver crossed over the median and
knocked down a tree and a school zone sign before running over the girls and then tearing through a brick wall. Her SUV came to rest in a residential backyard. The posted speed limit is 40 mph, but
witnesses claim Ms. Martin was driving much faster.
Driving While Angry is Irresponsible and Dangerous
Driving a car is a huge responsibility. Just as driving while
intoxicated can have catastrophic consequences, so too can driving while distracted or angry. Even if Martin’s blood tests results
indicate that she is telling the truth, she still exhibited many of the reckless and dangerous
behaviors of a drunk driver, as angry and distracted motorists often do.
She exhibits remorse during her jailhouse apology shown in the 5NBCDFW
video interview above, but that cannot erase the lifelong problems the
11-year-old girl may suffer due to this horrific accident.
Bottom line
is, nobody should get behind the wheel unless she or he is able to
concentrate on driving — this includes after drinking alcohol, during a heated argument or while distracted by something else.
Get the help you need after your accident caused by a drunk or distracted driver
Call Bill Berenson for a free case evaluation. Our office can help you recover for injuries caused by a drunk or distracted driver. You can reach us at 817-885-8000 or
toll-free at 1-888-801-8585.