Statewide "No Refusal Weekend" in Effect for July 4th Holiday

The July 4 holiday weekend is notoriously one of the most dangerous time of year for Texas drives. So today law enforcement agencies across the state announced a new initiative to keep drivers safe. It's the first ever of its kind in the nation, a state-wide "No Refusal Weekend."

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association shows that over the past 25 years about half of the crashes over the holiday involve alcohol.

Texas is the deadliest state in the nation when it comes to DWI fatalities. Texas statutes designed to decrease the carnage on our roads have been effective to a degree, but many measures seem to have limited success in further curbing the number of deaths.

Last year in Texas alone, officers responded to 337,000 crashes over a three-day time span. This year, the state is stepping up enforcement. Agencies are dispatching additional officers to the road searching for suspected drunk drivers. In participating counties, they will not take "no" for an answer.

TxDOT has posted this video to their YouTube channel explaining what happens if you decide to get behind the wheel after you've been drinking during a "no refusal" weekend.

The "no refusal" program is the plan created by Montgomery County prosecutor Warren Diepraam several years ago. Diepraam says it's getting results.

Anyone who is pulled over for suspected drunk driving will have to either submit to a breath test or have their blood drawn. Officials say it takes as little as 15 minutes to secure a warrant for a blood draw and five minutes after that to get the blood drawn.

If you do happened to be involved in an automotive accident, chances are you can benefit from the services of Texas Injury Lawyer.

Let our experience, commitment and fight work to get you the money you deserve to rebuild your life. Our commitment to you: We will not be out worked!

Contact us today for a free consultation.

2 die in ultralight crash at Ranger airport

RANGER, Texas — Two men have been killed in the crash of an ultralight aircraft at an airport in West Texas.

Ranger Municipal Airport spokesman Jared Calvert identified the victims as Richard Reeb of Ranger and Lynnwood Weiss of Goliad.

Calvert says Reeb, who was a city commissioner, and Weiss had gone for a test flight Wednesday afternoon. Weiss was considering a purchase of the aircraft.

Calvert says the aircraft apparently stalled, then crashed. Federal investigators will help determine the cause of the accident.

Ranger City Secretary Mary Wells says Reeb was in a city commission runoff election last weekend against Connie Hovey. Wells told The Associated Press that results were canvassed Friday and that Reeb was defeated.

Ranger is about 80 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

source: www.chron.com

Houston METRO Bus Split in Half on 288 South; Driver Dead

HOUSTON - An accordion style METRO bus was involved in a major wreck on 288 South near Old Spanish Trail on Thursday morning. The driver died in the crash, and traffic is slow in the area.

The crash happened just after 8:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes of 288. There were delays in both directions inside the 610 Loop.

Houston TranStar reports the accident was cleared Thursday evening.

Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews will have to make repairs to the damaged bridge structure. Said repairs could take 12 - 72 hours to complete. Until then, one shoulder lane has been left open.

Aerial views from SkyFox show that the bus's two parts separated in the crash. The bus also appears to have hit an overpass support pillar. Several emergency vehicles are on the scene.

METRO says there were no passengers on the bus at the time.

A preliminary investigation indicates the driver was returning to the bus barn at the end of his shift when he lost control. The driver, David Sayers, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The bus apparently made contact with a nearby dump truck during the wreck. According to a METRO statement, Sayers lost control of the bus after hitting that dump truck.

The dump truck's driver was not injured.

According to a METRO spokeswoman, the accordion bus, also known as an articulated bus, was one of three still in service by the transit authority. METRO says it was in the process of phasing out the articulated buses for maintenance reasons.

METRO president and CEO George Greanias released the following statement:

“This is a tragic day. Our first thoughts are with David’s family and co-workers. We will do all we can to support them through this difficult time. We are deeply committed to a safe transit system for customers, operators and our community.”

Source: www.myfoxhouston.com
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If you are ever involved and/or injured in an automotive accident, be it on public transportation, with a commercial truck or 18-wheeler, on motorcycle, or due to an automotive manufacturing defect, contact the Texas Injury Lawyers immediately by calling (toll free) 800-245-5539 or 214-827-4100.

Waco Man Found Dead early Friday on I-35 After Motorcycle Accident

Biker found dead on I35 after early morning crash

WACO—Jason Aaron Wilson, 33, of Waco, died early Friday morning when his motorcycle struck the median wall of Interstate 35 between New Road and Irving Lee, police said.

The accident was reported at around 2:30 a.m. Friday. Officers found Wilson lying in the highway.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wilson was headed south on the interstate when he lost control of his 2004 Buell motorcycle, police said.  The bike struck the median wall and Wilson thrown into the northbound lanes of the highway, police said.  He was wearing a helmet.

McLennan County Justice of the Peace Fernando Villarreal pronounced Wilson dead at the scene just before 4 a.m.  He did not order an autopsy.

Traffic was diverted for several hours early Friday while police investigated the deadly accident, but was flowing normally by about 5:30 a.m.

If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident, or know someone who has, contact an experienced Texas Personal Injury Attorney. We here at The Cole Legal Group have a proven track record of obtaining substantial insurance settlements and jury awards for people hurt in all types of motor vehicle accidents in Texas.

Let our experience, commitment and fight work to get you the money you deserve to rebuild your life. Our commitment to you: We will not be out worked!

Contact us today for a free consultation.

18 Wheeler Loses Control at Toll Booth (video)

The accident occurred after an 18 wheeler allegedly ran a trailer without brakes, which went crashing into six vehicles, killing six people, plus seven injured. The accident happened at a toll booth on Highway Guadalajara-Tepic, in Mexico (source).

We can imagine you're thinking, "Whew! That was in Mexico; thank God I don't have to worry about that here!" And we'd love to share the sentiment, but it happens all over. Sometimes commercial truck accidents in the U.S. can result in more property damage and casualties.  Since Texas borders Mexico, you might be interested to know that back in March the U.S. was making a deal to let Mexican trucks on U.S. highways (source). Seriously!

The point is accidents happen, and when they do you need a Texas Personal Injury Lawyer on your side to help you get the money you or your family deserves. The Cole Legal Group has a proven track record of obtaining substantial insurance settlements and jury awards for people hurt in all types of motor vehicle accidents in Texas.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Pfizer accused of under-reporting side effects of smoking-cessation drug

(WASHINGTON) -- Everyone knows smoking cigarettes can kill you, but so might drugs that are supposed to help you kick the habit.

While severe side effects from the smoking-cessation drug Chantix have been documented for years, it turns out that suicides resulting from using the product made by Pfizer Inc. were actually more than twice in number than the pharmaceutical company admitted.

It's all there in a new analysis by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), which says that there were 150 instances of Chantix users taking their lives out of the nearly 600 delayed reports of severe issues noted in the study.

The Food and Drug Administration contends that Pfizer covered up the actual number of suicides by submitting information through "improper channels." As a result, the FDA wants the drug maker to resubmit thousands of records to get a clearer idea of just how widespread severe reactions to Chantix are, which also include vivid nightmares, depression and violent outbursts.

One ISMP scientist said of the data, "It’s really chilling. This seems to unleash something in people. It can be violence to anything around. We’ve had a major breakdown in safety surveillance."

While Pfizer says it will comply with the FDA request, the company contends there's no concrete evidence Chantix causes suicides.

Last year, the drug was prescribed 3.2 million times worldwide.

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source: www.abcnewsradioonline.com
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