Man Sitting in Car at ATM Dies Following Bizarre Rear-End Collision

According to the Star-Telegram, police are investigating a tragic rear-end collision that occurred on a Sunday morning late last month at a standalone ATM. Investigators determined a 43-year-old man was sitting in a Chrysler 300 conducting a transaction at the ATM when a Ford F250 careened into the parking lot and struck the back of the sedan.

The 25-year-old man driving the pickup truck allegedly lost control of the vehicle, which proceeded to cross traffic, leave the roadway, and eventually enter the parking lot where the ATM was located. The man who had been sitting in the stopped sedan was ejected from his vehicle upon impact and died at the scene.

The man driving the truck sustained severe injuries in the crash. Responders brought him to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, where he later died.

Police are unsure why the truck initially left the roadway. Authorities are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, and the incident remains under investigation.

If you were hurt or lost a loved one in a wreck, your family may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and non-economic damages. To determine if you have grounds for a claim, turn to the Cooper Law Firm.

Attorney N. Eric Cooper is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Gregg County Bar Association. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free case evaluation with an accident lawyer in Texas.

What Are Toxicology Tests?

Toxicology testing refers to chemical tests that aim to determine the presence of drugs or alcohol in someone’s system. There are different kinds of tests for different scenarios.

An employer might screen employees for illegal drugs by conducting urine tests. Sports organizations, on the other hand, often screen their athletes for performance-enhancing drugs by conducting blood tests.

When it comes to traffic fatalities, the toxicology tests that follow are far more invasive. According to WebMD, it can take weeks or even months to obtain results that provide evidence of impairment.

There are both federal and state laws regarding mandatory toxicology testing following certain car accidents. For example, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires transportation companies to conduct drug and alcohol testing on their commercial drivers if they are involved in a collision that results in a fatality. Additionally, in the state of Texas, medical examiners and justices of the peace must report the blood alcohol concentration of every traffic fatality to the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Section.

According to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, the state values this data because it allows authorities to assess the efficacy of their anti-drunk driving campaigns and to devise better countermeasures as needed. At the end of the day, Texas takes drunk driving seriously because its consequences can be devastating.

If you were hurt in a wreck with an impaired motorist, contact the Cooper Law Firm today. N. Eric Cooper has successfully litigated drunk driving accident lawsuits, and he has the knowledge and resources to help you fight for the maximum compensation.

Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free consultation with an accident attorney in Texas. You can learn more about collision claims in Texas by visiting the USAttorneys website.