Update (September 2, 2025): Authorities have identified the driver who was injured in this accident as Isidro Cacal Jr., 75. He suffered minor injuries in the crash.
Denton, TX — August 15, 2025, Rossana Cacal was killed and another person was injured in an alleged drunk driver accident at about 9:30 p.m. on West Windsor Drive.
Authorities said a vehicle was turning onto Northway when it was hit by another car.
A passenger in the turning vehicle, 58-year-old Rossana Cacal, died after being transported to a local hospital, according to authorities. Her husband, who was driving, was hospitalized with unspecified injuries.
The driver of the other car has been charged with intoxication manslaughter, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Denton 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. It’s easy to focus entirely on the driver who’s been charged, and that accountability is important, but rarely does anyone stop to ask how the alleged drunk driver came to be impaired in the first place. In Texas, that’s not just a moral question. It’s a legal one.
One of the most important but often overlooked questions in cases like this is, “Where did the driver get their alcohol?” If they were overserved at a bar, restaurant or similar establishment after it was clear they were already intoxicated, that business may share responsibility under Texas dram shop law. That’s especially true if the impaired driver’s condition should have raised red flags for any responsible server. Identifying whether overservice occurred is often left unexplored unless someone steps forward to ask.
The hard part is, most people don’t realize that the law even allows them to ask these questions. But it does, and in cases involving serious harm or loss of life, it may be the only way to fully understand how preventable the incident really was.
Accountability starts with the driver, but it shouldn’t stop there. When alcohol contributes to a deadly crash, the chain of events rarely begins at the moment of impact. It often begins at the bar or restaurant where drinks kept coming even after it should have been clear that enough was enough. The law offers tools that many people don’t know they can use to uncover those facts and hold all responsible parties accountable.
Key Takeaways:
- Texas dram shop law allows families to investigate whether an alcohol provider contributed to a crash by overserving a visibly intoxicated person.
- Authorities don’t always pursue the source of alcohol in criminal investigations.
- Many people don’t realize that legal remedies may exist beyond the driver’s prosecution, especially when a bar or restaurant may have played a role.
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