Drunk Driver Steals Forklift And Leads Police On Chase Across Fort Worth
As a Texas personal injury lawyer, I know that whenever there is a high-speed police car pursuit, there is a high potential for a wreck to occur and for innocent citizens to be hurt. Fortunately, no one was injured in a decidedly slower chase which took place around Fort Worth on Sunday. Timothy Raines, 43, allegedly drove a stolen forklift truck along University Drive while intoxicated. When police began following him, Raines threw empty beer bottles at them and other vehicles. He was eventually apprehended along I-30 near the exit for Ashland Avenue and Hulen Street.
Normally that would be the end of the story, apart from the fact a local resident, Nathan Lowery, 25, captured the entire pursuit on video and his footage subsequently became a local YouTube hit. I won’t post the video here due to Lowery’s cuss-laden commentary, as well as the fact that he was driving the entire time he was recording, possibly the worst case of distracted driving I’ve witnessed in a long time. Fort Worth Police have now turned their attention on Lowrey’s video and he himself is now under investigation for violating traffic laws and further endangering public safety.
You might think that although Lowery’s actions were reasonably stupid, they pale in comparison to Raines’. I’ll concede that as far as idiotic spectacle is concerned, driving a forklift while drunk takes first prize, but distracted driving is an equally serious offense. In fact, a study conducted by the University of Utah found that distracted drivers exhibit greater impairment than intoxicated drivers. Neither are acceptable.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent driver, call the accident and injury attorneys at the Anderson Law Firm for a free consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.
