Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer
Fatal Chain Reaction Wreck in East Texas Kills 1, Injures 3, & Jails 3
Posted on Nov 23, 2011
The Galveston accident attorneys at Denena & Points present news of this fatal DWI chain reaction wreck to remind everyone that Thanksgiving is one of the holidays on which most tragic and traumatic DWI accidents occur. We want to remind everyone to drive carefully. Don't drive if you've been drinking. We want everyone to be able to give thanks at the end of the holiday weekend that they and their loved ones have all had a safe holiday and safe travels.
DWI Accident, Phase 1:
Sunday around 1:30 a.m. near Palestine, TX, a Chevrolet Tahoe with Erik Shawn Green behind the wheel swerved across the centerline of Highway 287 and crashed into a Nissan Xterra. Betsey Salazar of Waco received fatal injuries in the DWI crash. Three other occupants of the Nissan Xterra received transport to hospitals in serious condition from their injuries.
Erik Shawn Green received transport to a Palestine, TX hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Then he received transport to the Anderson County Jail, where he's behind bars with bond set at $800,000. He's charged with 1 count of intoxication manslaughter and 3 counts of intoxication assault.
DWI Accident, Phase 2:
Matthew Mitchell, 27, came upon the Palestine, TX accident scene as it was being cleared. At the time, a LifeFlight helicopter was attempting to lift off carrying a woman injured by Erik Shawn Green. Matthew Mitchell's Chevrolet Impala clipped the tail fin of the LifeFlight helicopter. The LifeFlight helicopter received no real damage, and was able to escape the DWI mayhem and take its injured passenger on to receive needed medical care.
Matthew Mitchell perhaps found himself awed by the spectacle of all the red and blue flashing lights in concert with a close encounter with a flying object. He apparently asked a trooper on the scene, "Why was the helicopter flying so low?" Matthew Mitchell is now charged with DWI and his passenger, Robert Hamm, with public intoxication. (Just for reference, DWI in Texas means "driving while intoxicated," and not what you might be thinking.)
Our Galveston accident attorneys offer their deepest sympathies to the surviving family members of Ms. Salazar who so tragically lost her life while two drunken drivers apparently survived the DWI chain-reaction wreck without major injury. Our hearts go out to the other injured victims of the Palestine, TX wreck, even now perhaps languishing in hospitals because of a drunken driver's callous disregard for safety.
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