Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
As a Maryland car accident and injury lawyer, I have seen the unfortunate results of far too many automobile crashes. While some traffic collisions are unavoidable, many could have been prevented if a driver had paid more attention to avert a car or trucking accident. Quite frequently, especially when driving is involved, simple common sense would have made the difference between life and death.
Sadly, we can’t predict when such factors will conspire to cause a car, truck or motorcycle wreck. But ultimately, people are responsible for their own actions. Take the issue of drinking and driving, which is a hot topic in most anyone’s book. Drunk drivers cause more than their share of costly and sometimes fatal traffic crashes. A news article not long ago illustrates what can happen when alcohol is mixed with motor vehicles.
According to reports, a 40-year-old driver from Hagerstown man was charged with drunken driving following a multi-vehicle accident along Md. 180 near Himes Ave. in Frederick, MD. The crash occurred on a Monday afternoon during the busy rush hour and was apparently made worse by rain and slippery road conditions.
Based on information coming out of the Maryland State Police, Larry Alan Houck was behind the wheel of a Chevy Silverado pickup truck when he allegedly ran a red light at a busy intersection. His vehicle collided with another passenger car then continued traveling eastbound, running head-on straight into two other cars in the opposing lanes.
The incident happened just before 5pm in the afternoon. Police arriving on the scene had just left the site of a previous crash where a Honda Civic had skidded off the southbound lanes of US 15 and into a tree on the side of the road. According to police reports, Houck could barely stand up and was apparently drunk. He refused to take a field-sobriety test, as well as a breathalyzer test.
Drivers of the three other vehicle hit by the drunken man were treated at Frederick Memorial Hospital. Fortunately all of the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger in one of the four vehicles was reportedly unhurt.
Houck himself reportedly complained of chest pain following the accident and was also taken to the hospital for treatment. According to police, the man claimed he did not even remember the accident. Police charged the man with DUI, DWI, failure to obey traffic light, and negligent driving. At the time of the news article, he was being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Drunken driving suspected in four-car crash, FrederickNewspost.com, September 29, 2010