Carlos Alberto Arias Vera Killed, 1 Injured in Alleged Drunk Driver Accident in Grand Prairie, TX
Grand Prairie, TX — March 17, 2024, Carlos Alberto Arias Vera was killed and one person was injured after an alleged drunk driver accident at 7:30 a.m. on Belt Line Road.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it happened at the intersection of Belt Line Road and Lakeview Drive.
It appears that 33-year-old Carlos Alberto Arias Vera and one other person were in an SUV driving northbound along Belt Line Road. While doing so, reports say a pickup crossed from southbound lanes to northbound lanes, and the vehicles collided. As a result, Carlos Vera sustained fatal injuries while the other occupant had unspecified injuries.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Reports allege that the driver of the pickup was drunk at the time of the crash and faces charges for intoxication manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. If those allegations are true, it raises a serious concern that there could be another culprit out there responsible for this deadly crash who also needs to be held accountable.
Let me explain what I mean. 7:30 a.m. is an unusual time to see a drunk driver. It's a lot more common late in the evening or around when bars close (2:00 a.m.). A drunk driving crash happening hours after last call sometimes is a sign that the driver might actually still be drunk from the night before. Any alcohol provider serving someone to that degree is almost certainly breaking the law.
For example, I had a case a while back against a negligent bar that contributed to a serious drunk driving accident. The drunk driver in that particular case was illegally over-served until they were over four times the legal limit when they left the bar. Medical science is clear that the human body processes alcohol such that for every hour they don't drink, they sober up by about one drink an hour. So if the driver in that case had their last drink at 2:00 a.m., then tried to drive somewhere five and a half hours later, they'd still be over three times the legal limit.
Simply put, an alcohol provider that serves someone to the point that is a danger to the community, and they're responsible for any harm caused by that over-service. I'd hate to learn that authorities were ignoring that possibility just because of the unusual hour at which this crash occurred. There could certainly be other explanations for the alleged intoxication which don't involve any local establishments. But it's best for a victim's loved ones to hear the evidence speak for itself.
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