Saturday night in northeast Harris County saw a particularly horrific example of pedestrian-car accidents. First, a man driving a pickup truck accidentally struck Juan Mascotto, a man in his twenties, who was walking on the side of the Beaumont Highway near John Ralston. The driver of the pickup truck pulled over and waited for police to arrive. He told Harris County Sheriff’s deputies that he hadn’t seen the man walking in the highway.
Two wrecker trucks in the area formed a barrier around the accident scene as they waited for authorities to arrive. The two wrecker truck drivers and the owner of a nearby business tried to help the injured pedestrian.
While the business owner was on the phone to authorities, another pickup truck, driven by 62-year-old Lydia Mejia, attempted to bypass the barrier. Witnesses say that Lydia Mejia:
1. First swerved to evade the barrier,
2. Drove over the fallen Juan Mascotto,
3. Struck the business owner and one of the wrecker truck drivers, then
4. Attempted to speed away.
Fortunately, the other wrecker driver managed to initiate a pursuit and stop the fleeing Lydia Mejia within about a mile. Authorities have so far charged Lydia Mejia with failure to stop and render aid and an accident that caused injury or death. We laud the quick and heroic action of the wrecker driver in helping to catch such a callous would-be hit-and-run driver.
Juan Mascotto tragically died at the scene of the double pedestrian-vehicle accident. The wrecker driver injured by hit-and-run driver Lydia Mejia was treated for injuries and released at the scene. The business owner was transported to the hospital in critical condition, a very sad outcome for a Good Samaritan who was trying to help others.
News accounts of the fatal accident mention that it wasn’t clear whether alcohol was a factor in the wreck. Or whether Lydia Mejia just presents a case of an unusually callous and negligent driver. In either event, surviving close family members of Juan Mascotto could consider initiating a wrongful death case in their quest to see justice for the early demise of the young man.
No matter what criminal charges eventually result from this horrific sequence of events on the Beaumont Highway, a civil wrongful death lawsuit could help Juan Mascotto’s family members hold the negligent driver financially accountable for the actions that caused his death.
If you have lost a loved one to a fatal accident and you have questions about what you can do and whether you might have a valid wrongful death claim, contact our Harris County wrongful death lawyers for a free consultation. We could answer your questions and help you learn about your prospects for a successful financial recovery that would hold negligent parties accountable for the untimely demise of your loved one.