The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a homicide investigation after witnesses reported a man intentionally ran over a woman with his vehicle, leaving the woman dead on a residential street northeast of Edinburg.
According to a sheriff’s office news release, the incident happened July 15 about 4:50 p.m. in the 6300 block of Lorena Street. The release states that multiple people called 911 to report “several individuals fighting on the roadway.” When deputies arrived on the scene, they discovered a 20-year-old woman who had sustained fatal injuries to the head, the report stated. The victim’s name was not disclosed.
Initial witness statements indicate that the victim had been talking with a man on the side of the street, when another man drove up, exited his vehicle, and an argument ensued. The report states that the driver eventually left the scene, but returned and struck both individuals with his vehicle.
The woman was killed, but the man, identified only as a 27-year-old male, sustained only minor injuries, according to the news release.
The sheriff’s office said deputies located and detained the driver of the vehicle, but no further details were immediately available. At this writing, the sheriff’s office was encouraging anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward by calling (956) 383-8114, or by calling the Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers Hotline at (956) 668-TIPS (8477) or through the P3 TIPS app.
Wrongful death lawsuits by families of murder victims
In Texas, immediate family members of murder or manslaughter victims can bring a wrongful death lawsuit, to compensate the survivors for their losses.
Under Texas law, for purposes of a wrongful death lawsuit, immediate family is limited to the spouse, parent, or child of the victim. The executor of the decedent’s estate can also file on behalf of those parties, as stated in Chapter 71 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
Recoverable losses
Recoverable losses can include funeral and burial expenses, loss of consortium (loss of the victim’s love, companionship, comfort, etc.), and in the case of a spouse or registered domestic partner, the loss of sexual relations.
Losses for grief and sorrow are not recoverable at all by murder victims’ families.
Burden of proof
It is not necessary to secure a murder or manslaughter conviction against the defendant in order for families to sue the perpetrator. In fact, criminal charges do not even need to be filed to win a civil case.
Wrongful death lawsuits do not need to be won by the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard of proof needed in criminal cases. In a civil lawsuit, nine of the 12 jurors simply need to conclude that it was more likely than not “by a preponderance of the evidence” that the defendant was responsible for the victim’s death. This is a much lower burden of proof than in criminal cases.
Contact J. Gonzalez
If you feel you are entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit against someone for the loss of an immediate family member, the time is now to contact the J. Gonzalez Law Firm. Our wrongful death attorneys handle cases anywhere in Texas.
Most importantly, the J. Gonzalez Law Firm will handle your case with dignity and respect, and you can trust our firm to find answers, get results, and help you rebuild your life. Contact us now via this website, or by calling 1-800-CAR-CRASH.
Source: https://myrgv.com/alerts-mcm/2024/07/14/roadway-fight-leaves-1-dead-in-edinburg-crash/
