Hit and Run Charges Filed in Bicycle Fatality
Charges of hit and run have been filed by prosecutors against a Houston woman on Wednesday. The charge contends that the woman had been drinking and driving when she fatally struck bicyclist, Chelsea Norman in December of 2013.
According to documents filed by the Harris County District Attorney’s office, Margaret Renee Meyer, 35 of Houston, is charged with hit-and-run and failure to render aid in addition to driving under the influence of alcohol. The charges allege that on December 1st at approximately 10:20 p.m. Meyer struck Norman, who was riding home from her job at Whole Foods Market on her bicycle.
After the accident, the 24-year-old cyclist was still alive but gravely injured. She was found sprawled on the curb on Waugh at the base of a bike lane sign. Norman later died at the hospital as a direct result of her injuries.
Authorities indicate that there were no witnesses to the accident that killed Norman, however a neighbor to Meyer noted damage to the front end of her car and that there was a piece of denim stuck to it. Affidavits have been filed in part with the statements of people who spoke with Meyer both before and after the crash. DNA testing was also done; however, the results were not noted in the filed documents.
Mayer has a previous conviction from 2002 for DUI driving. This latest charge is a felony and carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Though convictions in cyclist-automobile accidents in Houston are rare, Norman’s death has served to galvanize the local bike riding community and has renewed both a call for justice and for increased safety for the bicyclists of Houston.
When the Texas Senate recently unanimously approved a measure that would give stiffer penalties for those guilty of hit-and-run accidents, the law put the failure to stop render aid in a deadly accident from a third-degree felony on the same level as intoxication manslaughter. Because of this, the crime has now been elevated to a second degree felony.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a hit-and-run accident, call our offices as soon as possible. We can get your civil case started once you’ve seen a doctor. Our attorneys will sit down with you and discuss your case whenever you are ready. We have years of experience in the Houston area courts and we have successfully argued accident cases for our clients. Get the compensation and peace of mind that you and your family deserve. Call us at the number on your screen or use the contact form here on our website.