Man charged with manslaughter after fatal crash in Weslaco
by Benjamin Treviño | October 4th, 2022 | Auto Accident, Blog, Fatal Crash
WESLACO — A September 29 traffic accident has left one man dead and another facing intoxication manslaughter charges.
According to Weslaco police, the crash happened at 11:26 p.m. in the 1300 block of S. International Blvd. A preliminary investigation indicates a red Ford Focus was exiting a restaurant parking lot when it was struck by a white Ford F150 Raptor.
The 47-year-old driver of the Focus was killed. His identity has not been released.
Police arrested the driver of truck, saying he “displayed signs of being intoxicated, and failed a standardized field sobriety test.” He is identified as 25-year-old Clayton Wayne Neuhaus.
According to police, Neuhaus was arraigned on a charge of Intoxication Manslaughter September 30, and received a bond amount of $75,000.
The case remains under investigation and those with information are asked to contact the Weslaco Crime Stoppers at (956) 968-TIPS (8477).
Duty of care in drunken driving accidents
All Texas drivers have a duty to exercise reasonable care whenever they get behind the wheel. Reasonable care is generally defined as the degree of caution that an ordinary and prudent person would exercise in the same circumstances. Driving while intoxicated and causing an accident breaches this duty.
Injury, damages, and losses
In pursuing damages, the accident victim must show evidence that they have sustained injuries, damages, or losses. This can include physical injury, pain and suffering, emotional distress, physical impairment, disfigurement, medical bills, lost wages and income, and more.
Causation
The drunk driving accident victim must also establish a direct link between the defendant’s negligent conduct and the damages being sought. This is called causation and is apart from establishing that the defendant was impaired by drugs or alcohol or otherwise engaged in wrongful conduct at the time of the accident. Furthermore, the defendant’s actions must be proven to be a cause of the claimed injuries, losses, and damages. This can sometimes be difficult, and require the testimony of experts.
Contact the J. Gonzalez Law Firm today
The personal injury attorneys at the J. Gonzalez Law Firm remind you that every drunken driving accident case is fact-specific. Each case requires a close evaluation by an attorney with years of experience handling these types of lawsuits, and drunken driving accident cases are one of our specialties. Set up a free consultation with one of our lawyers today by calling us at 1-800-CAR-CRASH.
