Texas car accident: SUV driven by boy, 14, hits mom, young child

The early reports of a pedestrian accident in Corpus Christi appear to raise a number of legal issues. Texas authorities initially reported that an SUV struck a woman and her child, said to be just a 4-year-old. The frightening pedestrian versus car accident apparently occurred in a parking lot of a convenience store.

Texas authorities characterized the collision as major. They also reported that the driver fled the scene on foot. The driver, a minor, was subsequently caught. Police indicate he is just 14 years of age. In addition, two others were in the vehicle with the boy, though their ages and identities were not initially disclosed.

There was no word on the specific nature of the injuries suffered by the two crash victims. Beyond ominously describing the tragedy as major, there was no information disclosed concerning the medical conditions of either the mother or the child. The vehicle that struck them was a Dodge Durango.

The first concern, of course, is for the full recovery of the victims. As Texas authorities continue to investigate the car accident, the circumstances under which a 14-year-old boy ended up behind the wheel of the vehicle at the time of the collision will be important. It is not known if either of the two passengers in the SUV were adults. Nevertheless, our personal injury laws provide for the right of car crash victims injured by another’s negligence to sue for reimbursement of financial damages sustained. In this case, the thrust of such a claim may be against the owner of the SUV and/or the parent or guardian of the minor that was operating the vehicle in the parking lot.

Source: kiiitv3.com, “Police Investigate Pedestrian Accident, Search for Driver,” June 29, 2013