1 Dead, 1 Injured in Galveston Pedestrian Accident

One man is dead and another is injured after being struck by a vehicle in Galveston, Texas last week.

About the Galveston Accident

Raphael Flajole was killed in last Monday after being hit by a truck along the Galveston seawall.

Flajole, from Orion Township, Michigan, was in Texas for a family celebration when a pickup truck crossed through several lanes of traffic and struck him while he was on the sidewalk.

The driver had just turned on 21st street and was headed westbound when he began swerving across all lanes of traffic and hit Flajole and one other person.

Flajole was pronounced dead at the scene. The other pedestrian was taken transported to the hospital.

Police are still investigating whether the driver of the pickup truck, Kevin Wade Wilson, was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Wilson has been charged with manslaughter and before the accident he had been on probation for a narcotics conviction.

Texas Auto Accident Statistics

Following information provided by the Texas Department of Transportaton (TxDOT):

• In 2012, the fatality rate on Texas roadways was 1.41 deaths per hundred million miles traveled.
• The death toll increased by 10.82% in 2012, from 3,067 deaths in 2011 to 3,399 deaths in 2012.
• There were 63,610 serious injury crashes in 2012 with 87,087 people sustaining serious injuries.
• In 2012:
  • 1 person was killed every 2 hours and 35 minutes
  • 1 person was injured every 2 minutes and 17 seconds
  • 1 reportable crash occurred every 75 seconds
• 1,099 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents where the driver was under the influence of alcohol. More alcohol crashes were reported in the hour between 2am and 3am than any other hour of the day.