A 21-year-old woman in the custody of the Houston Police Department was killed while seated in the back of a police cruiser. She had been arrested for public intoxication and was put in the backseat of a squad car in handcuffs. The officer that put her in the car did not put a seatbelt on her. A Chevy Cobalt driven by Nicole Moser, 21, ran a red light and slammed into the back of the police car. Since the woman in the backseat of the police car wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, she was thrown out of the vehicle. She was immediately taken to Ben Taub General Hospital but was unfortunately pronounced dead. The driver of the other vehicle and her passenger were also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Nicole Moser has since been charged with intoxication manslaughter.

Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva said that the HPD is required to follow the laws of the state regarding seatbelts. According to Texas law, any drivers or passengers in a moving vehicle must be buckled up. This could be grounds for a successful lawsuit on behalf of the decedent’s family since the officer didn’t follow the laws put forth by the state of Texas regarding seatbelts.

If you or someone you know is involved in an accident similar to this, contact an accident attorney in Houston via Kirkendall Dwyer LLP. Our legal team can help with the difficult task of bringing litigation against the proper parties to ensure you receive the compensation appropriate for the situation. Our experienced lawyers have several years of experience litigating personal injury cases resulting from car accidents and we will be more than happy to help you with your case. Contact us for a free consultation to see what steps need to be taken to get you back on your feet after such a catastrophic event.