Marilyn Dunn Injured in Suspected Drunk Driver Accident in Bastrop, TX
Bastrop, TX — May 11, 2025, Marilyn Dunn was injured in a suspected drunk driver accident at about 3 a.m. on frontage road for State Highway 71.
A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2023 Toyota Tacoma was heading south on F.M. 969 when it crashed into an eastbound 2022 Chevrolet Silverado on the frontage road.
Silverado driver Marilyn Joyce Dunn, 68, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report, while passenger Dalton Dunn, 34, suffered minor injuries.
The report indicates that the driver of the Toyota was intoxicated at the time of the crash, but no charges have been filed at this time.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bastrop County crash.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I read about incidents like this one, what stands out to me isn’t just what happened, but what’s missing from the conversation. A woman was seriously hurt in an early morning crash, and authorities suspect alcohol was involved. That raises important questions—not only about the driver’s decisions but also about where and how they may have obtained the alcohol. These are the questions that often get overlooked in the rush to focus on the immediate aftermath.
Under Texas law, if a bar, restaurant, or other alcohol-serving business provided alcohol to someone who was obviously intoxicated, and that person went on to cause a crash, the business may bear some legal responsibility. It’s not always obvious, but dram shop law exists specifically to hold alcohol providers accountable when they play a part in this kind of harm. That’s why it’s important to explore whether the alleged drunk driver in this case was drinking at a licensed establishment beforehand—and if so, whether they were served past the point of visible intoxication.
This isn’t about shifting blame away from the driver. It’s about recognizing that responsibility can be shared. When someone is injured in a suspected drunk driving crash, they deserve the full picture—including any role that an alcohol provider may have played. That’s the kind of accountability dram shop law is built to provide, and unfortunately, it’s often the part of the story that never gets told.
Three key points to consider:
- Dram shop law is designed to hold alcohol providers accountable when they serve someone who’s clearly intoxicated and that person causes harm.
- Investigating where the driver got their alcohol is a critical but often neglected step—one that could reveal important facts about how the crash happened.
- Many people don’t realize they have legal options under Texas dram shop law, even when criminal charges haven’t been filed against a suspected drunk driver.
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