The many different lights a driver may encounter when driving at night can be disorienting. Unfortunately, many drivers may have difficulty identifying and adequately respond to a vehicle that is stopped in the roadway. In fact, police say that a man driving a sports utility vehicle recently struck the rear of a vehicle stopped in a Texas roadway. Law enforcement officials have accused him of drunk driving.
The incident happened late one evening on a day in December. According to reports, a vehicle driven by a 51-year-old man was stopped in travel lanes after breaking down; the driver, according to reports, had engaged the hazard lights and exited the vehicle. Unfortunately, police say that an SUV driven by a 31-year-old man struck the first vehicle in the rear.
Reports claim that the driver of the SUV left the scene on foot. However, police claim that he later returned to the scene and reported that he had been a passenger in the SUV. Witnesses claim that the man was, in fact, the driver and sole occupant of the SUV. The driver of the first vehicle was reportedly seriously injured in the accident. The SUV driver was arrested but has since been released after posting bail.
Unfortunately, it may be easy for law enforcement officials to assume that an accident that happened during a certain time of day under certain circumstances was the result of drunk driving. However, these assumptions are not sufficient to meet the high burden of proof required by the court to convict someone of a crime. To ensure that he is adequately prepared to respond to the accusations he faces, this Texas man could benefit from having an experienced legal professional advocating for him as he navigates the criminal justice system.