On Wednesday,  after an hour of deliberation, a Sherman, Texas jury convicted 36-year-old Kristoffer Craft of felony murder for a drunk driving crash that claimed the life of his son.

Details of the Fatal Drunk Driving Accident

According to KFOR, Craft was involved in a drunk driving crash last year that killed his 7-year-old son, Kolton. It was stated that Craft, who had been drinking, was looking down at his cell phone when he ran a stop sign and crashed into the side of a house in Whitewright.

His son was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal injuries to his head, neck, ribs, and lungs.

Craft and his attorney seeking an appeal in the case, saying that Craft should have been charged with manslaughter instead of murder. Craft’s attorney also gave a statement stating that “My client is devastated. He hasn’t been able to sleep, he killed his own son. He can’t take that away and he knows it, and he just hopes he can seek the justice I think he deserves.”

A sentencing date for Craft has yet to be scheduled.

Texas Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision.
• Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
• An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016.
• Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Texas Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

A 24-year-old woman has died and her 21-month-old child is expected to die after the two were struck in Tampa, Florida by a teen driver suspected of street racing.

Details of the Fatal Pedestrian Accident

According to FOX News, Jessica Reisinger, 24, was walking with a stroller in a marked crosswalk on Bayshore Boulevard when she and her toddler were struck by a black ford Mustang driven by 18-year-old Cameron Herrin.

Reisinger was killed in the crash and, according to an arrest affidavit issued on Wednesday, the toddler, Lillia Raubenolt, is expected to succumb to her injuries. The mother and daughter were visiting Tampa from their home in Ohio.

Police say that Reisinger was making legal use of the crosswalk when the crash occurred. The driver of the Mustang, 18-year-old Cameron Herrin, is believed to have been racing another vehicle at the time of the accident.

Herrin and his brother, 20-year-old Tristan, were arrested along with the driver of a Nissan, identified as 17-year-old John Barrineau. Witnesses describe the two vehicles speeding and weaving between traffic prior to the crash.

Both drivers are charged with street racing, vehicular homicide, and reckless driving resulting in serious bodily injury. Tristan Herrin was also charged with street racing as Florida law considers willing passengers participants in the activity.

National Traffic Accident Statistics

According to the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 35,485 people were killed in auto accidents in the United States in 2016, marking a 5.6-percent increase from 2015.
• Of those killed in auto accidents in 2016:
  • 22,639 were occupants of passenger vehicles
  • 5,495 were pedestrians
  • 5,029 were motorcyclists
  • 829 were pedalcyclists
  • 665 were occupants of large trucks
  • 235 were listed as other or unknown
• Injury estimates for the year have not yet been made available.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

A head-on collision near San Saba left a woman dead and a man with serious injuries Tuesday evening.

Details of the Central Texas Head-On Collision

According to KWTX, the fatal crash occurred around 5:20 pm on U.S. Highway 190, about one mile east of San Saba.

The Department of Public Safety has identified the victims as Ashley Torres, 32, and Josh Sobish, III, 35.

Sobish was transported to Brownwood Regional Medical Center with incapacitating injuries.

A preliminary investigation determined that Torres was traveling west when she corossed the center stripe and collided head-on with Sobish.

2016 Texas Car Crash Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in traffic crashes in Texas in 2016. This marked a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• The majority of the traffic fatalities (51.47%) occurred in rural areas of the state.
• Head-on collisions accounted for 638 traffic deaths.
• An additional 265,076 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2016.
• Based on reportable crash data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a crash every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Texas Car Crash Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

Fiat Chrysler has issued a recall for nearly 50,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs due to potential engine fires.

About the Recalled Jeep Cherokees and Engine Fires

According to CNET, the recall affects 48,900 Cherokees equipped with 2.4-liter inline-four engines.

Recall documents say incorrectly installed fuel tube connectors can allow fuel leaks that could start a fire in engine bays. To fix the problem, Jeep dealers will replace the potentially leaky fuel tube.

Fiat Chrysler says investigations into the issue began in February after the automaker received reports of engine fires in Cherokee models. The issue was eventually traced by to the fuel tubs and the incorrectly installed connectors.

The recall is limited to Jeep Cherokee vehicles built between September 1, 2017 and January 4, 2018 as the company switched to a different type of fuel tube. Additionally, only Cherokees built at Fiat Chrysler’s Belvedere, Illinois factory are affected.

Consumers can expect to be notified beginning next week.

Millions of Dangerous Vehicles Are Recalled Every Year

In 2016, a record high 53.2 million vehicles were recalled in the United States. More than 50 million cars have been recalled in each of the past three years, a stunning fact considering auto recalls over the previous two decades have ranged between 10.2 million and 30.8 million. Many of these recalls were associated with two prominent defects:

1. Faulty ignition switches equipped in General Motors vehicles (linked to approximately 124 deaths)
2. Faulty airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation (linked to approximately 16 deaths)

These two recalls have been linked to hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths, and both have been the subject of congressional hearings and federal investigations. The number of total recall campaigns (927) was also record-breaking in 2016. Sadly, government action came too late for those adversely affected by these defective products.

Contact an Experienced Vehicle Defect Lawyer

Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator’s life in jeopardy. Unfortunately there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free legal consultation — our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

Federal regulators have deployed a team of investigators to look into claims that a Tesla Model S was in autopilot mode when it slammed into the back of a fire truck.

Details of the Tesla Autopilot Crash

On May 16, 2018, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent a team to South Jordan, Utah to investigate the crash of a Tesla vehicle that was in autopilot mode when the crash happened.

According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this is the third Tesla crash that has allegedly been linked to the autopilot feature since January.

Preliminary reports indicate that the driver of the Tesla Model S sedan, had been traveling at sixty miles per hour when it smashed into the back of a fire truck stopped at a red light approximately twenty miles South of Salt Lake City, Utah. The driver of the vehicle stated that she had been using the autopilot feature at the time of the crash.

National Traffic Accident Statistics

According to the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 35,485 people were killed in auto accidents in the United States in 2016, marking a 5.6-percent increase from 2015.
• Of those killed in auto accidents in 2016:
  • 22,639 were occupants of passenger vehicles
  • 5,495 were pedestrians
  • 5,029 were motorcyclists
  • 829 were pedalcyclists
  • 665 were occupants of large trucks
  • 235 were listed as other or unknown
• Injury estimates for the year have not yet been made available.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

A 28-year-old woman was killed early Wednesday morning as a result of a two-car collision in Weslaco, Texas.

About the Fatal Weslaco Crash

KRGV reports that emergency crews responded to the scene of a fatal accident on Eastbound Expressway 83 near Texas Boulevard around 2 am Wednesday. Police the crash occurred when a vehicle hit a car that was parked on the outside shoulder of the road.

The passenger inside the moving vehicle was ejected and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Franshely Ahaida Salinas, was hospitalized, but her condition was not immediately available.

Police say Salinas will be charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a motor vehicle.

Texas Car Crash Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in Texas traffic accidents in 2016, marking a 5.45% increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• 638 of the deaths reported in 2016 were attributed to head-on collision.
• Alcohol was determined to be a factor in 987 traffic deaths, accounting for roughly 26% of all Texas traffic fatalities.
• An additional 264,076 people were injured in auto accidents in Texas in 2016.
• Based on reportable data for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes.
  • One person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds.
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Texas Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced car accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 350,00 Jeep Liberty SUVs due to a manufacturing defect that may result in suspension problems.

About the Jeep Liberty Recall

According to the Detroit News, a flaw in the vehicles’ rear lower control arms may result in water building up inside the components, possibly causing corrosion, rust, and cracks. The corrosion and cracks may hamper driver control.

Fiat Chrysler says it is aware of one accident potentially related to the recall.

The automaker says the dealers will replace the rear lower control arms in the affected Liberty SUVs.

Vehicles Affected by the Jeep Liberty Recall

• The recall covers 325,000 2004 to 2007 Jeep Liberty SUVs.
• 239,904 of the vehicles were sold in the U.S., 49,712 were sold in Mexico, and another 36,199 were sold in other regions.
• To see if your car was affected by this recall or another recall, you can enter your vehicle’s VIN number on the NHTSA recall website.

Contact an Experienced Vehicle Defect Lawyer

Drivers have enough to worry about while traversing the roadways on a daily basis. When a person gets behind the wheel of a car, there is a reasonable expectation that the car is going to perform in a matter that would not put the operator’s life in jeopardy. Unfortunately there are hundreds of vehicle recalls each year due to manufacturer defects, from the tires to the ignition switches, that can cause catastrophic injuries and in some cases death. If you or a loved one have been injured due to a defective part in a vehicle, contact Thomas J. Henry.

Our experienced defective vehicle lawyers have handled a multitude of injury claims caused by recalled vehicles. We continue to handle cases involving faulty and dangerous GM ignition switches and Takata airbags. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free legal consultation — our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has drafted letters to 12 major automakers that failed to meet a December 2017 deadline for completing repairs on high-priority vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators.

Details of the Takata Recall Letters and Proposed Meetings

According to Reuters, NHTSA contacted Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp, General Motors Co., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Daimler AG, Ford Motor Co., and several other car manufacturers after the companies failed to complete necessary repairs on vehicles deemed to be in the highest priority groups of the Takata airbag recalls by a deadline previously set by the regulatory agency.

NHTSA says the 12 automakers have collectively repaired about 65 percent of the 20 million vehicles included in the highest priority group, leaving about 7 million other vehicles unrepaired. Beyond this priority group, an additional 23 million U.S. vehicles from 19 automakers remain equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators that can explode when deployed

The defective airbags have been linked to at least 22 deaths and more than 290 injuries worldwide. Reports show that the Takata airbag inflators can deploy with too much force, causing the airbags to rupture and eject metal shrapnel into vehicle cabins and occupants.

The defect and resulting recall costs led to Takata filing for bankruptcy protection in June 2017.

NHTSA and Takata Face Scrutiny From Lawmakers

In addition to criticizing Takata and automakers for their handling of the airbag recalls, lawmakers have scrutinized NHTSA, saying the agency is not doing enough to prod automakers to fix vehicles. The recalls and NHTSA’s response were the subject of a U.S. Senate hearing in march.

In a letter, Heidi King, who has served as deputy NHTSA administrator since September, said she was “deeply concerned” by the current repair figures. Last week, Senator Bill Nelson called on King to speed up recall and repair efforts.

In 2017, Takata pleaded guilty to a single felony count of wire fraud and agreed to a $1 billion settlement to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation.

Contact an Experienced Takata Airbag Recall Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective and dangerous Takata airbag, call Thomas J. Henry today. Our attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends to evaluate your claim and provide you with a free legal consultation. Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide.

Four people were killed Friday in a head-on collision near Fulton.

Vehicle Attempting to Pass Multiple Vehicles When Collision Occurred

According to KRIS-TV, the fatal crash occurred when a 2014 Ford Escape traveling north on State Highway 35 crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a 2003 Honda Civic. Witnesses at the scene said the driver of the Ford, identified as 22-year-old Erin Caroline Donalson, had entered the southbound lane in an attempt to pass multiple vehicles when the crash occurred.

Three occupants of the Honda were pronounced dead at the scene. DPS has identified those victims as Jon Allen Massey, 33, Guadalupe Ramirez, 43, and Arabela Massey, 6. The front seat female passenger of the Honda was flown to Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi where she was listed in critical condition.

Donalson was also flown to Spohn Shoreline Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Crash scene investigators say that the driver of the Honda and two passengers were not restrained and were ejected from the vehicle. A third passenger was partially ejected.

The crash remains under investigation.

2016 Texas Car Crash Statistics

The following information was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT):

• 3,773 people were killed in traffic crashes in Texas in 2016, marking a 5.45 percent increase from the 3,578 deaths reported in 2015.
• 51.47% of the deaths recorded in 2016 occurred in rural areas of the state.
• 638 people were killed in head-on collisions in Texas in 2016.
• An estimated 265,070 people were injured in Texas traffic accidents in 2016.
• Based on reportable date for 2016, TxDOT estimates:
  • One person was killed in a traffic accident every 2 hours and 20 minutes
  • A person was injured every 1 minute and 59 seconds
  • A reportable crash occurred every 57 seconds.

Contact an Experienced Texas Car Crash Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.

A Texas man was fatally injured Wednesday night as a result of a multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 95 in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Details of the Fatal Greenwich Crash

According to the New Haven Register, Manuel Carlos De Penda, 58, of Bulverde, Texas was killed near Exit 4 on Interstate 95 at around 9:27 pm.

De Penda was a rear seat passenger in a 2014 Honda Accord driven by 22-year-old Manpreet Singh, of Queens Village, New York, which rear-ended a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by 61-year-old Rosaura Cruz.

The impact of the initial collision forced the Cruze forward into a Ford Focus, driven by Tai Kwok Poon, 61.

De Penda was pronounced dead at the scene. Cruz and a female passenger were transported to Stamford Hospital with minor injuries, and Poon sustained possible injuries. Singh was not injured.

The accident remains under investigation.

National Traffic Accident Statistics

According to the latest available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• 35,485 people were killed in auto accidents in the United States in 2016, marking a 5.6-percent increase from 2015.
• Of those killed in auto accidents in 2016:
  • 22,639 were occupants of passenger vehicles
  • 5,495 were pedestrians
  • 5,029 were motorcyclists
  • 829 were pedalcyclists
  • 665 were occupants of large trucks
  • 235 were listed as other or unknown
• Injury estimates for the year have not yet been made available.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car crash, contact Thomas J. Henry. Our experienced auto accident attorneys have experience handling a multitude of injury accidents, no matter how severe the crash or injury. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages if another driver acted negligently. Our firm has the experienced lawyers and financial resources that you need to achieve the real results you deserve.

Our firm has offices in Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston, serving clients across Texas and nationwide. Call us today for a free case review — attorneys are available 24/7, nights and weekends. If you cannot make it to our office, we can visit you at your home, in the hospital, or at work.