At 2 a.m. on a Friday morning earlier this month, the driver of a Chevy Impala, Nicholas Colunga, failed to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk downtown. He hit three people, including UT soccer player Kylie Doniak, who was critically injured, before speeding off. While other witnesses rendered aid and called 911, one man, Sisto Perez, took off in search of the driver.

The pursuit ended a few blocks away, where Colunga crashed his car and attempted to run away. Perez tackled him to the ground and tied him up with a belt. When the police arrived, Colunga was arrested and charged with two counts of failing to stop and render aid and one count of intoxication assault.

Many Austinites are praising Perez as a “Good Samaritan” for making sure Colunga was held accountable for his actions. Earlier this week, the victims rights non-profit Crime Victims First honored Perez for his bravery. The woman who suffered the worst injuries, Kylie Doniak, is in stable condition now but is still in the hospital.

Recently, pedestrian accidents in Austin have skyrocketed; only last week, two pedestrians were hit near the UT campus. If you have been the victim of a pedestrian accident or hit-and-run, Jason and Justin McMinn are dedicated to advocating on your behalf. Contact the McMinn Law Firm today.

A pedestrian, Dik van Meerten, was killed on Sunday in Austin after Linda Dianne Woodman lost control of her Lexus SUV on Guadalupe, went onto the sidewalk and struck him and another pedestrian on West 31^st Street.  The 21-year-old woman, Sarah Lee Parker, who was also hit is injured, but expected to survive.

Dik van Meerten, a 61-year-old, was pronounced dead at an Austin-area hospital. Van Meerten was born in the Netherlands and lived and worked in Charlotte, N.C. for an IT management company. He was visiting Austin just for the weekend to see his children and friends. His daughter, Sylvia van Meerten said her father was the family’s focal point—a kind, generous, wise man with a huge laugh who had a strong worldwide network of friends and family.

Sarah Lee Parker suffered critical injuries and fractured her jaw, shoulder and leg. Her ear was torn off and surgically reattached.The police stated that when questioned after the crash, Linda Dianne Woodman, 59, was heavily medicated with morphine and Percolet having just been released from the hospital. She is now in the Travis County Jail on a $55,000 bail. She was charged with intoxicated manslaughter, a second-degree felony, and intoxication assault, a third-degree felony. Woodman had a previous driving while intoxicated charge on Oct. 4, 2009, and was sentenced to a year of probation and counseling.

Because of health information privacy laws, information can’t be released about her discharge on Sunday from Seton Healthcare Family. The hospital did state that policies are in place to ensure that patients have a safe way to get home, if they are not to drive for a period of time. Over 300 pedestrians were victims of traffic fatalities in 2009 in Texas. Pedestrian fatalities account for 11% of motor vehicle deaths. If you or your family member was a victim of an intoxicated driver, or a traffic fatality, contact McMinn Law Firm today to get the justice you deserve.

The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States recently recommended a nationwide ban on cell phone use while driving. Officials from the transportation board claim that distracted driving is becoming as serious of a safety issue as intoxicated driving. Additionally, the report claimed that hands-free devices are no safer than traditional cell phones. Previously, the board had recommended restrictions on cell phone use for inexperienced drivers, commercial vehicle drivers, and in school zones. However, if states acted on this recommendation, all non-emergency cell phone use while driving would be illegal.

To make the recommendation, the NTSB analyzed data regarding distracted driving and cell phone usage. More than 3000 individuals died last year as a result of distracted driving, including a particularly devastating pile-up in Missouri that resulted in two deaths and 38 injuries. However, despite the NTSB recommendation, many states are hesitant to adopt a complete ban on cell phone use while driving.

Austin has taken several steps to reduce incidences of distracted driving, including banning texting while driving. Additionally, all cell phone use is banned in school zones. There are very few limitations, however, on making calls or other forms of cell phone usage while driving. Almost 100 car crashes in Austin per year are caused by using a cell phone while driving. If you have been involved in an accident caused by cell phone use or distracted driving, contact the McMinn Law Firm today.

The deaths of two teenagers shortly before the year’s end were the 53rd and 54th traffic fatalities in Austin of 2011. The accident occurred at South 1st and Thelma Drive, where the victims were crossing the street in the crosswalk when a pick-up truck struck them.

The startling number of pedestrian deaths has prompted the Austin Police Department to take measures to promote pedestrian safety, including the formation of the Pedestrian Enforcement Safety Team (PEST). Texas is one of the top ten states for pedestrian fatalities, and Austin alone has experienced 20 pedestrian deaths in 2011. As a result of the most recent deaths, dozens of individuals gathered to rally for further pedestrian protection efforts. As a result, the Austin city council agreed to investigate the area of the crash and develop measures to make Austin safer for pedestrians.

Austin is a walkable city, and many residents choose to walk or bike instead of driving. The APD recommends that pedestrians walk on sidewalks when possible, cross at intersections, and wear bright colors at night. If you have been the victim of a pedestrian accident, contact the McMinn Law Firm today.