$9.5 Million Settlement to Victims of Texas Vehicle Crash Caused by Impaired Truck Driver

By Dean I. Weitzman, Esq. on October 18th, 2013

Two Texas families will share in a $9.5 million settlement reached in the case of a commercial truck driver who was driving while intoxicated when his tractor-trailer rear-ended several vehicles in an intersection in Victoria, Texas, in March 2012.

Several people were seriously injured in the crash, which occurred when a tractor-trailer being driven by Johnny Raymond Rodriguez failed to stop as it approached the intersection of U.S. 59 and Upper Mission Valley Road on March 24, 2012, according to an Oct. 15 story by The Victoria Advocate newspaper. Rodriguez’s tractor-trailer then crashed into two pickup trucks that were stopped on the roadway, causing a chain reaction crash.

Rodriguez, who drove the gravel truck for his employer, A.W. Trucking, of Victoria, was cited for intoxication assault and reckless driving by police after his blood alcohol content was measured to be .071 percent and .065 percent some three hours after the collision, the paper reported. The truck was owned and leased by Jet Maintenance Inc. of Victoria, according to the police report for the crash.

Injured seriously in the crash was Calvin Stovall, 44, of Victoria, who drove the first pickup truck that was struck by the speeding tractor-trailer, according to the police report. Also seriously injured were two members of a Corpus Christi, Texas, family, who were traveling in another pickup which was in front of Stovall’s pickup. Maria Olachia and her 14-year-old son were seriously injured in the crash, the report stated.

“A written statement was taken by the witness who saw [Rodriguez] driving recklessly on Business 59 just prior to the crash,” the police report states.

The $9.5 million settlement was reached Oct. 11 when officials for both A.W. Trucking and Jet Maintenance agreed to the deal, the paper reported.

While Rodriguez’ blood alcohol content was below the legal limit of .08 when measured at a hospital several hours after the crash, “the law says drivers of passenger or commercial vehicles may be arrested for driving while intoxicated when they are found to have a blood-alcohol content of .08 percent or ‘do not have normal use of their mental or physical faculties because of the introduction of alcohol,'” according to the newspaper. “A driver operating a commercial vehicle who is found to have blood-alcohol content of .04 percent could also be given a citation or have their license temporarily suspended,” the paper continued.

Stovall will receive $5.4 million from the settlement for his injuries, according to the newspaper. “He has undergone numerous surgeries to his back and continues to be treated for a head injury.” The Olachia family will receive $4.1 million for their injuries.

These kinds of incidents and injuries happen every day when innocent victims are hurt in vehicle accidents through no fault of their own due to the actions or indifference of others. That’s where having a legal team on your side that uncovers every fact to bolster your case and maximize your damage award is key.

We here at MyPhillyLawyer stand ready to assist you with your legal case if you or a loved one is ever seriously injured in a vehicle incident or accident anywhere in the United States. We represent the families of victims who die in such tragedies as well, to ensure that their families receive every penny of damages that they are eligible to receive.

Call MyPhillyLawyer at 215-227-2727 or toll-free at 1-(866) 352-4572 anytime and our experienced, compassionate, aggressive team of attorneys and support staff will be there for you and your family every step of the way as we manage your case through the legal system.