Marisella Hernandez Injured in Alleged Drunk Driver Accident in Mercedes, TX
Mercedes, TX — June 26, 2025, Marisella Hernandez was injured in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 4:30 a.m. on Interstate 2.
A preliminary accident report indicates that an eastbound 2018 Kia Optima rear-ended a 2021 Kia Forte near Exit 163A.
Forte driver Marisella Hernandez, 44, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.
The Optima driver, who was not hurt, was charged with driving while intoxicated, the report states.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Hidalgo County crash at this time.
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: namely, how someone accused of drunk driving came to be impaired behind the wheel in the first place. Charges have been filed, which points to alcohol as a likely factor, but that opens the door to deeper questions about responsibility.
One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Where did the driver get their alcohol?” In Texas, alcohol providers — whether bars, restaurants or other businesses — are prohibited from serving alcohol to someone who’s clearly intoxicated. When they ignore that rule and someone gets hurt, the law allows injured parties to hold those businesses accountable. That’s the core of what dram shop law is designed to address.
It may seem like a crash like this begins and ends with the driver’s decision to get behind the wheel, but there could be more to the story. If an alcohol provider continued to serve someone who was obviously intoxicated, they may have played a role in what happened, one that’s not always obvious at first glance.
Here are a few important points to consider:
- Texas law makes it clear: businesses that over-serve visibly intoxicated customers can be held accountable when harm results.
- In many cases, no investigation is ever done into where the driver was drinking unless someone asks the right questions.
- The law offers tools that many people don’t know they can use, especially in the wake of a serious injury caused by suspected drunk driving.
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