Driving While Intoxicated With A Crash Can Lead To Serious Consequences
If you face a DWI arrest following a car accident in San Antonio, you need a strong legal defense immediately. The experienced team at Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, DWI Criminal Defense Attorneys, stands ready to protect your rights and fight your charges aggressively.
DWI convictions after accidents carry some of the harshest penalties under Texas DWI laws. Depending on your case details, these penalties can include serious fines, license suspension, and even jail time. Having knowledgeable and aggressive legal counsel is critical to protect your future.
Our San Antonio drunk driving lawyers offer unmatched insight into your defense. One attorney previously worked as a felony prosecutor for the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. This direct experience helps us understand how law enforcement constructs cases and how to challenge them effectively. We leverage this knowledge to expose flaws in the prosecution’s evidence and build a strong defense.
Accidents—even those without serious injuries—can significantly impact your DWI case. For example, law enforcement often attempts to administer standardized field sobriety tests at the scene. However, accident injuries or circumstances sometimes make you ineligible for these tests. Despite officer training on when and how to conduct these tests properly, they often push forward with them anyway. We know how to challenge these improper procedures to defend your case.
Our DWI team boasts a proven record of securing dismissals in complex drunk driving accident cases. We know precisely where to examine the arrest process and how to challenge evidence. This experience helps us aggressively fight for dismissals and charge reductions.
If you face a DWI charge after a car accident in San Antonio, trust Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, DWI Attorneys, to provide aggressive, knowledgeable representation. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case and protect your rights. Call (210) 893-0000.
Determining Liability in a Drunk Driving Accident in San Antonio, TX
In many drunk driving accidents, liability extends beyond just the intoxicated driver. While the driver who chooses to get behind the wheel intoxicated is clearly responsible, others can share liability too.
Under Texas law, businesses that serve alcohol to visibly intoxicated patrons may also face liability. The Texas Dram Shop Act (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.02) allows injured victims to sue bars, restaurants, or liquor stores that continue to serve alcohol to someone who poses a danger to themselves or others.
To hold a business liable under the Dram Shop Act, the plaintiff must prove three key elements:
- The patron was visibly intoxicated at the time of service.
- The business knowingly continued to serve the intoxicated individual.
- The patron’s intoxication directly caused the accident and resulting injuries.
The Dram Shop Act applies only to businesses with a license or permit to sell alcohol, as outlined in Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code § 2.01.
This law does not cover private parties where a guest drinks excessively and causes an accident. However, if a minor under age 18 consumes alcohol provided by someone 21 or older (who is not the minor’s parent, guardian, spouse, or legal custodian), that adult may be legally liable for accidents caused by the minor’s intoxication.
What Are the Penalties for DWI Accidents in San Antonio, TX?
Texas enforces strict penalties for DWI offenses, especially when an accident involves other vehicles. In 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation reported 886 fatal crashes caused by intoxicated drivers statewide.
If your DWI accident in San Antonio does not involve serious injury, expect penalties similar to a standard DWI charge. However, with the knowledge of standardized field sobriety tests, we can demonstrate that these test results may be unreliable due to accident conditions.
Because intoxicated driving threatens public safety, Texas imposes harsher punishments for DWI accidents. If someone suffers serious injury in a crash caused by intoxication, prosecutors can file an intoxication assault charge.
Intoxication assault is a third-degree felony with penalties including:
- Prison time from 2 to 10 years.
- Fines up to $10,000.
- Community service between 160 and 600 hours.
If a DWI accident causes a fatality, the charge can escalate to intoxication manslaughter, carrying even harsher penalties.
At Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers, we provide knowledgeable legal defense and protect your rights throughout the process.
Proven Defense by Former Prosecutor
Many people arrested for a DWI in San Antonio believe their case is hopeless. They expect only fines or brief license suspensions. But with strong defense, better outcomes are possible.
Imagine instead:
- Avoiding any license suspension.
- Keeping your record free of a DWI conviction.
- Winning your case without pleading guilty.
- Fighting aggressively rather than settling for less.
Each case is unique, but aggressive defense can protect your future.
Our San Antonio DWI defense attorneys, including a former prosecutor, represent clients at every stage — from criminal court to driver’s license hearings.
Call Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers for San Antonio DWI Defense
Don’t risk your future with inexperienced lawyers. Call Ried Pecina Trial Lawyers at (210) 893-0000 today. Schedule a free consultation to learn how we aggressively defend DWI cases in San Antonio.
