Richmond truck driver seriously injured by road debris asking who's responsible
RICHMOND, Texas - A Richmond truck driver is on the mend less than three weeks after a piece of road debris left him horribly injured. Now, he and his wife are looking for who's responsible.
While most of us have had to dodge a piece of 'something' in the middle of the road, or had a windshield cracked by a rock tossed-up, or blown from a passing vehicle, Tremaine Breland had a 10-pound piece of metal come flying through his truck cab.
"I can remember everything up until that point," he says.
It was June 29 in the early afternoon as Breland traveled eastbound on the Katy Freeway, near the Post Oak exit, when a chunk of metal that looks like a skid from a boat trailer came sailing though the windshield.
Breland was hit square in the head, but remained conscious long enough to bring his rig to a safe stop.
"He has multiple skull fractures, facial fractures, he has orbital fractures," says wife Carmel Breland. "When they initially took him in for surgery, part of his bone was pushing down into the brain."
Doctors had to temporarily remove a piece of Breland's skull while he waits for additional surgeries, and wonders who left the dangerous debris on the highway.
Pearland attorney Charles Adams says Texas law can hold people responsible for road debris that cause damage, "They do have culpability."
The challenge comes in pinning the blame on the right person. On top of that, most damage, like a chipped windshield, can be difficult to connect and is rarely worth the financial effort.
Adams believe the Breland's case could be different: did someone know the piece was loose; was it poorly maintained; was it poorly designed? Any of those circumstances could have contributed to the accident.
"There's several possible defendants," says Adams. "But if you can't track them down and identify them, then it's a wrong that lacks any substantive remedy."
The Brelands would just like someone to take a little responsibility.
"You need to be careful," says Carmel. "This is stuff you need to make sure is strapped down. You need to make sure it's tied down, be more vigilant, and don't be so careless."
Houston police have an open accident investigation, so call them if there's any chance you saw anything that can help the Brelands.
Meantime, Charles Adams is a big proponent of using a dash-camera. They're easy to find and can prove vital video evidence if anything goes wrong.