Another Drunk Driver
Don’t drink and drive
Yet another tragic story about drunk driving appeared in the news. A man, who struck a tree with his vehicle in April leaving his girlfriend to die, faced a Harris County Judge in court today. An Ly, 31, was charged with failure to stop and render a man charged with failure to stop and render aid. Houston police said that at 1:26 a.m. on April 9, Ly lost control of his vehicle going off the road and striking a tree at the 7600 block of Bellaire. According to eyewitnesses, Ly jumped out of his black Lexus and fled the scene on foot. Ly’s girlfriend, Kathy Huynh, had been partially ejected in the crash. According to a police spokesperson, Ly apparently had made no attempt to help Huynh or to call for assistance. Ly later checked into Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital, but denied having been in an accident, claiming instead that he had been mugged. Ironically, it was the same hospital that the critically injured Huynh had been taken. Just prior to the accident, Ly and Huynh had been out drinking with another couple who advised them that Ly was in no condition to drive. After an argument, Ly did in fact get behind the wheel and shortly after the accident called the same friends asking to be picked up. Ly admitted to his friends that he had left his girlfriend at the scene of the accident. Eyewitnesses from the scene of the accident positively identified Ly as the person who had fled on foot. Kathy Huynh died as a result of complications from her injuries on April 18th. The Judge has set Ly’s bail at $100,000, but the bond could be reduced if Ly surrenders his passport to authorities. No one wants to be in a serious car accident. Avoiding drinking and driving is one of the best ways to help insure this. Leaving the scene of an accident where injury or death has occurred is a serious crime in the State of Texas is considered a third degree felony and is punishable between 2 to 10 years in a state prison. Even if the injuries caused in the accident are not serious, leaving the scene of an accident or failing to render aid is a felony punishable between one year to five years in a county jail or state prison and a potential fine of up to $5,000. A conviction May also result in the suspension of your driver’s license if the crash caused serious injury or death. What you should do if you are involved in an accident? The Texas Transportation Code requires that every person involved in an accident stop and take certain actions following the crash. This is especially true in accidents that involve property damage, injury or death. If the accident involves injuries or death, you are required by law to immediately return to the scene of the accident and to render aid. You must also provide your personal information, and show your driver’s license and insurance information if it is requested. If the accident involves damage to an occupied vehicle, stop as close as possible without obstructing traffic. If the accident has caused damage to an unattended vehicle, you need to stop and locate the driver or owner of the vehicle and provide your contact information. If the owner or driver cannot be found, be sure to leave a note in a conspicuous place such as a windshield, being sure to give all of your contact, license and insurance information and the circumstances of the crash so that you can be contacted. These actions are required by law. Failure to comply with them can result in arrest, severe fines and loss of license. Navigating through an accident case on your own can be confusing and time consuming. If you have been involved in a drunk driving car accident, don’t wait to call our offices and speak with one of our attorneys. We have years of dedicated experience and service in cases of accident lawsuits. One of our lawyers can discuss your case with you and help your situation. We can provide you with the resources and attention to detail that can make certain that you are properly compensated for any damages, losses or death.