Austin, Texas - Dipak Thapa Arrested Following Suspected DUI Accident That Severed Man's Leg

Police Arrested Suspected Drunk Driver Following Accident

Austin police arrested 19-year-old Dipak Thapa and charged him with intoxication assault and serious bodily injury following a vehicle-pedestrian accident that happened around 5:40 p.m. on August 10 in Southeast Austin.

Police responded to a call reporting a vehicle-pedestrian accident at a bus stop on the 2400 block of East Riverside Drive, near Pleasant Valley Road. After arriving on the scene, officers found an unidentified 60-year-old man whose right leg had been severed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors realized that the man also was bleeding from his brain.

Police also found a crashed Toyota Camry on the scene, but the driver had fled the vehicle. Investigators think that Thapa was driving east on East Riverside Drive when he lost control of his vehicle, jumped the curb, and crashed into the 60-year-old man standing at the bus stop. After finding Thapa and bringing him to the hospital, police say he admitted to drinking two 16-ounce beers before the crash.

Filing A Lawsuit For A Drunk Driving Injury

Lawyer commentator Anjali Nigam would like to add some thoughts on how lawsuits can help drunk driving victims:

It happens every day in the United States and across the world - innocent victims suddenly have their lives changed forever after suffering a serious injury in an accident caused by a drunk driver. When these accidents are fatal, the victim's friends and family are forced to grieve for a life taken away because of the senseless decision to drive drunk. The victims of drunk driving accidents deserve justice and financial support for the hardships they face.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident involving a drunk driver, the legal system is here to help. Filing a personal injury lawsuit can help provide financial compensation for both economic and non-economic damages related to the injuries, such as medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

In Texas, dram shop laws and social host liability allow third parties to be held liable for drunk driving accidents under certain circumstances. If the drunk driver was served alcohol after he or she was visibly intoxicated, the establishment (or social host) who served that driver may be held liable for damages if an injury victim decides to file a lawsuit. Additionally, those who sell or give alcohol to minors may also be held liable if that minor drives drunk and causes an accident.