Fort Worth, TX — June 8, 2025, a woman and a child were injured following a possible drunk driver accident at around 11:00 p.m. on I-35W.

According to initial details about the accident, it happened near Dickson Street along southbound lanes of the interstate.

Investigators said that a 35-year-old woman and a child were in a Dodge Challenger going southbound. A Ford Fusion driver also going southbound may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time when it collided with the Challenger and a Hyundai Sonata.

Due to the accident, the woman in the Challenger reportedly was seriously injured. The child in the Challenger had a suspected minor injury. Authorities did not confirm any charges or citations.

Commentary

When a late-night crash injures a woman and a child, and authorities suspect alcohol may have played a role, the public conversation often pauses until more details are confirmed. But even in that uncertainty, it’s important to ask broader questions—because if alcohol was involved, what happened on the highway may not be the whole story.

If alcohol was a factor here, one question worth asking is whether that person was over-served by an alcohol provider while already obviously intoxicated. That’s the focus of Texas dram shop law, which makes it illegal for bars, restaurants, or other establishments to continue serving alcohol to patrons who show signs of obvious intoxication. That legal responsibility exists to protect the public from exactly the kind of danger that can follow someone out of a bar and onto the road.

Unfortunately, that part of the timeline is rarely examined unless someone actively pursues it. Law enforcement may suspect impairment, but their attention typically stays on the crash itself—what happened, who was hurt, and whether charges are appropriate. Unless someone investigates where the drinking may have occurred, the role of over-service, if it happened, can go unnoticed.

Even while the facts are still taking shape, it’s worth recognizing that accountability doesn’t always begin with the crash. If alcohol was a factor, it’s possible this incident was preventable long before the vehicles ever collided.

Three key takeaways:

1. Though alcohol hasn’t been confirmed, Texas law prohibits over-serving anyone who is obviously intoxicated—because the risks don’t stay contained.
2. When impairment is only suspected, the question of where and how the drinking occurred often goes unexamined.
3. Exploring all potential causes, including over-service, is essential when families are harmed by suspected impaired driving.