Houston Astros Draft Pick Killed in Big Rig Accident

For Houston truck accident attorneys, any accident that ends in a fatality is tragic. But when the accident involves a high profile person is involved, the entire city is affected.

Early on Tuesday morning, Dustin Kellogg, a new Houston Astros draft pick was killed in a tragic collision with a big rig in Southwest Montgomery County, sending the Astros, and the city of Houston into shock and mourning.

The fatal accident happened at about 1:15 a.m. According to authorities Kellogg was driving his pickup truck northbound on the FM1314 at the intersection of Old Houston Road, when he apparently crossed several lanes of traffic and crashed head on into an 18-wheeler truck.

Kellogg was selected as a pitching prospect in the 34^th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft in June of this year. He was only 18 years old and had graduated in May from Caney Creek High School before being selected for the draft.

Kellogg was understandably thrilled after he was selected by the Astros. He told the Houston Chronicle, "It’s like a dream come true. You never expect to go to your hometown team. When you’re in Little League, you always dream of playing for your hometown team. I’ve always wanted to play for the Astros." He was also confident about what he could bring to the Astros: "I can bring them a right-handed arm that can throw hard as hell," he told them with a confident smile.

In a formal statement, the Astros said, "We are deeply saddened by the news of Dustin’s passing. Although he had only been an Astros player for a short time, we share the pain of his family," "Our prayers go out to Dustin’s loved ones." The Houston Astros General Manager and Scouting Director Bobby Heck added to the sentiment, "This is a very sad day for all of us. Dustin was a Texas kid, and he made his intentions very clear at our pre-draft workout that he wanted to pitch for his hometown Houston Astros. He was a great kid with high energy and a lot of confidence, and performed well for us after signing. This is a huge loss for everyone that knew him."

The big rig that Kellogg crashed into was carrying diesel fuel, of which several hundred gallons along with some oil leaked onto the FM1314. The authorities were forced to close the road for several hours while HazMat crews cleaned up and cleared the scene. The FM1314 was reopened at about 6:30 a.m., but the Kellogg family, the Astros and the city of Houston will remain in mourning for a long time.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck or other motor vehicle accident, call Houston truck accident attorney Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is an experienced Houston injury attorney with over 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities. Call today or fill out an online contact form, and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Get in touch with Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need.

15 Injured by MetroRail Accident in Downtown Houston

Houston truck accident attorneys know that when large trucks are involved in accidents, the potential for damage is usually exponentially higher. During the prime rush hour commuting period, a dump truck wreaked havoc in downtown Houston Tuesday morning.

At about 9 a.m. a dump truck which was heading west on Capitol at Main ran a red light, and subsequently hit a MetroRail train. The train was knocked off its track and the dump truck was inches away from crashing into a downtown eatery, Ziggy’s Bar & Grill.

The driver of the dump truck told police that he was blinded by a reflection, and didn’t see the stoplight turn red. As a result of the collision 15 people, including the truck driver and the MetroRail driver were taken to the nearby Ben Taub Hospital. None of the injured parties had severe or life threatening injuries.

A MetroRail passenger said the incident has deterred him from taking the rail service in the future. He was leaning up against a glass window when the accident suddenly happened, and he was thrown across the train. "I guarantee this is the last time I take this rail. I’d rather walk. I think it’s safer, really," he said.

The accident disrupted traffic and rail services in the downtown area for hours. At lunchtime, crews were still at the scene trying to get the train back onto the tracks. A replacement bus service was set up to service MetroRail passengers while the rail lines are being fixed.

Houston truck accident attorneys were disappointed by the reaction of some of the MetroRail passengers, that they may decline to use the city train in the future. People often take public transportation because they feel it is safer than driving, and statistically it is. Just because one accident occurs does not mean that the citizens of Houston should lose faith in the city’s public transportation system.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident and needs assistance, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is an experienced, nationally recognized Houston injury attorney with 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities. Call today or fill out an online contact form and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule a free consultation. Get in touch with Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need.

Woman Speaks Out Against Driving With Sleep Apnea After Fatal Crash

Houston car and truck accident attorneys know that DWI accidents are a nationwide concern. But many accidents each year are also caused by people falling asleep behind the wheel. Whether people who fall asleep while driving are just tired or have a sleeping disorder—this can be equally dangerous, although less frequent, than driving while under the influence of alcohol.

A New Braunfels woman is speaking out against people who drive when they have a sleeping disorder such, and trying to raise awareness as to how dangerous it can be.

John and Wanda Linsdsay were driving in a construction zone in May of 2010, when they were hit from behind by a fast moving 18-wheler truck. The Lindsays had come to a stop, as the construction sign dictated, but the semi-truck behind them didn’t slow or stop, and slammed into them when it was traveling at 65 miles per hour.

The impact of the crash sent both of the Lindsays to the hospital. Wanda ultimately survived, but John never recovered and died a few days after being admitted to the hospital.

“On Sunday morning, on Mother’s Day, the doctor that had been taking care of him came in and told me there was no further brain activity and that there was no chance he could ever be the man we knew before and he needed our permission to disconnect the machines,” Wanda said in a statement.

Wanda then began wondering how such an accident could have happened—for a professional driver to be speeding through a clearly marked construction zone struck Wanda as odd. “For a truck, a 30-ton truck, to enter a construction zone travelling at 65 mph with their cruise control on, was he either insane? Or was he asleep? I don’t think he was insane,” Wanda mused.

Wanda said she still hasn’t recovered emotionally from the loss the accident caused, but in the process has been wondering why and how this tragedy could’ve happened. Wanda and her lawyer, Jim Cole, did some more investigating and discovered that the driver who slammed into their car, causing the death of her husband and best friend, had recently been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.

“There is an epidemic among truck drivers of sleep apnea,” said Cole. And Wanda is now working to raise awareness of sleep apnea, and how dangerous driving with this disease can be.

“It just did not have to happen, should not have happened and if we can do one thing in his (John Lindsay) memory to make his death less senseless, then that’s what we’ll do,” said Wanda.

Houston truck accident attorneys agree with Wanda Lindsay. Part of what makes drunk driving accidents so tragic and senseless is that they are entirely preventable—there is no need for them to ever happen. The same is true with falling asleep behind the wheel—if you are too tired to drive, you should not, and if you have a severe sleeping disorder beyond your control, it is putting people at risk each time you get behind the wheel to drive.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motor vehicle, truck accident or thinks that you have grounds for a wrongful death case, call Houston injury attorney Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a nationally recognized Houston injury lawyer with over 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities. Call today or fill out an online contact form and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will be in touch within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Get in touch with Joe Stephens today to get the advice and help that you need.

Big Rig Crash Shuts Down Highway 290

Houston truck accident attorneys know how dangerous it can be when a large scale crash occurs on a major roadway: frequently other vehicles are caught up in the incident, because they are unable to get out of the way in time. This is particularly a hazard when a big-rig truck is involved. Big rigs cover much more area and have the potential to do much more damage when they crash than do other types of smaller motor vehicles.

Early Thursday morning an 18-wheeler truck crashed on Highway 290 at the Gessner exit. According to the Houston Police department, at about 2:15 a.m. the driver of the big rig fell asleep at the wheel, and crashed into a guard rail. The truck ricocheted off the guard rail and hit a concrete barrier, after which it burst into flames. The truck driver managed to jump out of the vehicle before it burst into flames, and he suffered no injuries. Because of the early morning hour, no other vehicles were involved in the accident.

The truck was traveling inbound on Highway 290 at the time of the crash, and as a result, all of the main inbound lanes were closed while the accident was cleared. It took crews several hours to clear the accident, and the inbound lanes of Highway 290 remained closed until about 8 a.m. This made the morning commute a bit heavy but fortunately there were no subsequent accidents or injuries as a result of the closed lanes.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney who specializes in Houston truck accidents and has been serving the community for over 26 years. Call today, or fill out an online contact form and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Get in touch with Joe Stephens today to get the advice and help that you need.

18-Wheeler Crash Closes Ramp in West Houston

Houston truck accident attorneys know how dangerous a big rig accident can be, as well as disruptive to the flow of traffic. Accidents involving 18-wheeler trucks are much less frequent than are other motor vehicle accidents, but when they do occur, the effects can be far reaching.

On Thursday afternoon an exit ramp from the West Loop to the Katy Freeway was forced to be closed as the result of a big rig accident. An 18-wheeler unexpectedly overturned, scattering its cargo and debris across the freeway. According to authorities the accident occurred at about noon, on the West Loop southbound exit ramp to the Katy Freeway.

The eastbound lanes of the Freeway as well as the exit ramp was closed for several hours while crews cleaned up the debris from the accident. The cause of the accident is unknown, and fortunately no injuries or subsequent accidents as a result of the overturned truck were reported.

Houston truck accident attorneys are always concerned when a big-rig accident is reported, because frequently other vehicles are drawn into the collision just because of the sheer size of an 18-wheeler. It takes a big rig almost 4 times as long to stop as it does a car moving at the same speed, and because of the length of an 18 wheeler and limited turning radius, the big trucks are much more difficult to maneuver and control. Fortunately, in this case, neither the driver of the overturned truck was injured, nor were any other vehicles drawn into the accident.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a big-rig accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney with over 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities. Joe Stephens is an exceptional attorney as well as an understanding human being, and will personally handle every aspect of your case on both a professional and a personal level. You may also fill out an online contact form and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Get in touch with Joe Stephens today to get the advice and help that you need.

Highway 105 Closed After Big-Rig Accident

Houston truck accident attorneys know how dangerous big-rig accidents can be—especially when they occur on a busy highway. A truck carrying hydrochloric acid crashed on highway 105 at Walden Road in Montgomery, Texas this afternoon, causing long delays and traffic backups.

The accident halted traffic in both the East and Westbound lanes. The lanes remained closed for several hours while police and other authorities tended to the accident, and cleanup crews secured the area and made sure there were no leaks before allowing traffic to proceed.

Hydrochloric acid can be a very dangerous substance, and despite the crash, the truck did not leak any of the acid onto the highway. But because hydrochloric acid is so corrosive and can be very hazardous, full precautions had to be taken. The truck did not hit any cars during the course of the incident, and while the truck driver did suffer some injuries as a result of the accident, the extent of his injuries are unknown at this time. Police are still investigating the cause of the crash, but highway 105 was re-opened at about 3 p.m., and traffic was once again moving smoothly.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a truck or motor vehicle accident, call Houston truck accident lawyer Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney with over 26 years of experience serving the Houston and South Texas communities.

Joe Stephens understands what a difficult and confusing time being involved in a motor vehicle accident and subsequent legal case can be, and will personally tend to all of your questions, of both a professional and personal nature. You may also fill out at an online contact form and a member of The Stephens Law Firm will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation. Call Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice that you need.

I-10 Closed Due to Big Rig Accident

Houston truck accident attorneys know what havoc an 18-wheeler accident car wreak on local and area traffic, so we wanted to inform the public of a big-rig accident that is currently affecting traffic in the Columbus area on the westbound Interstate 10.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, all of the westbound lanes of the I-10 are closed due to an accident involving an 18-wheeler truck. According to local authorities, the truck ran off the freeway and crashed into nearby railroad tracks early this morning. The driver was critically injured, and the cause for the accident is currently unknown.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, and the incident is still under investigation by local authorities. The westbound lanes of the freeway have been closed since 5 a.m., shortly after the accident took place. Traffic is slow in the eastbound lanes due to gapers, and traffic behind the I-10 closure is backed up for at least a mile. The westbound lanes are likely to remain closed for several more hours while the accident is cleared away and investigated.

Accidents involving big rigs often affect and involve other motor vehicles on the road, due to the length and sheer size of the 18-wheeler trucks. Often large trucks like this cannot help but involve other vehicles once they lose control of such a large truck. Houston truck accident attorneys are relieved that no other cars were involved in this incident and that no other injuries other than the drivers own have been reported as a result of this incident. The early morning hour at which the accident occurred may be the blessing that saved other cars from getting caught up in the incident—because the roads were not yet busy with morning commuters.

If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a truck accident, call Houston truck accident attorney Joe Stephens today at 713.224.0000 for a free consultation. Joe Stephens is a Houston injury attorney who has been serving the Houston and South Texas communities for over 26 years. Call Joe Stephens today to get the help and advice you need, or fill out a contact form online and a member of The Stephens Law Firm staff will contact you within 24 hours to schedule your free consultation.