Yesterday Benjamon Stewart, who was convicted in September of three charges of intoxication manslaughter, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. I support the jury’s decision.
This 43-year-old crashed into a husband, wife, and their 11-month-old daughter in July of 2013 on Interstate 30 in Arlington and tragically killed them. Stewart then fled the scene and hid in the woods for over an hour until he was located by police. His blood-alcohol level was a shocking .28% — more than three times the legal limit. I blog about these horrible crimes, including this one when it happened, and was glad this man got the justice he deserved. I hope it sends a message to others who think nothing of driving while intoxicated and causing mayhem on our Dallas Fort Worth streets and highways.
We Must Stop The Insanity
We have to crack down on drunk drivers in Texas. We have more of them here than in any other state — even California which has 12 million more people. A shocking 1,296 people died from these crashes in 2012. This figure increased 7% from the year before. The problem is out of control.
In my practice, I’ve seen that drunk driving crashes are often the most serious auto and truck accidents because they are often high speed, head-on crashes. Here’s a photo of my poor clients’ car after it was hit by a drunk driver in a case I just resolved.
I hate drunk drivers. I’m a proud supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and am pleased to be one of its only approved attorneys in Tarrant County.
Here are more frightening statistics about drunk driving collisions:
Alcohol-fueled injuries hurt almost 17,000 people in 2012;
There were over 25,000 alcohol-related crashes were over 25,000 that year;
Last year in Tarrant and Dallas Counties, 121 people were killed and 1,261 others were seriously injured by DWI drivers;
Over 90,000 people were arrested for DWIs in 2012; and
This costs Texas taxpayers over $6 billion per year.
We Can Help
I’ve been representing injured Texans for over 34 years. I only represent people who have been injured by accidents involving cars, trucks, 18 wheelers, bicycles and motorcycles — often those who have been hit by drivers who are DWI.
If you want an experienced Board Certified Fort Worth personal injury attorney who will provide you with compassionate legal representation, contact my office today to schedule a free initial consultation.