Del Rio, TX — December 4, 2025, one person was injured in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 5 a.m. in the 400 block of Arteaga Street.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a northbound 2000 Chevrolet Silverado crashed into a fixed object near Maximo Street.

A passenger in the pickup, an 18-year-old woman, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report. Her name has not been made public yet.

The driver was charged with driving while intoxicated and intoxication assault after the crash, the report states.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Val Verde 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; specifically, the circumstances leading up to the alleged drunk driving. It's one thing to hold an individual accountable behind the wheel, but often overlooked is how that person ended up intoxicated in the first place. That’s a critical question in the broader effort to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Where did the driver get their alcohol?” If they were at a bar, restaurant or similar establishment before the crash, Texas law says that provider had a legal duty not to serve alcohol to someone who was obviously intoxicated. When they fail in that duty, the consequences can extend far beyond the person doing the drinking.

What’s concerning is that investigations often stop with the driver, leaving behind unanswered questions about potential overservice. If a licensed alcohol provider contributed to this situation by serving someone who shouldn’t have been served, that’s not just a lapse in judgment. It may be a violation of the law. And more importantly, it’s something that Texas dram shop law is specifically designed to address.

Looking at this case, I keep coming back to the broader goal of accountability; not just for what happened on the road, but for what may have happened before it. That’s where real prevention begins.

Three key takeaways:

• Dram shop law in Texas exists to hold alcohol providers accountable when they serve obviously intoxicated customers who go on to cause harm.
• It’s not always obvious, but there may be more to this story than people realize, especially if alcohol was served at a business beforehand.
• The law offers tools that many people don’t know they can use to uncover answers and pursue justice beyond the criminal charges filed.