O’Connor Senior Killed in Rollover Accident

Beth Janicek

Attorney
(866) 735-1102 Ext 395

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James Peterson, an 18 year old senior at O’Connor High School, was killed after losing control of his truck on Loop 1604, flipping his truck several times, and hitting a guardrail near Hausman Road. Petersen was partly ejected and crushed in the accident that killed him instantly.

Three other high school students riding with him were injured. One of the teenagers was in the cab of the truck, and the other two were riding in the bed of the truck. All three remained in stable condition Tuesday evening at University Hospital.

It is unclear what caused the truck to careen off the road and roll down the embankment, but authorities said that both people were ejected from the truck’s bed during the accident.

Driving in the bed of a truck is very unsafe and can be illegal. Texas law states:

• A person commits an offense if the person operates an open-bed pickup truck or an open flatbed truck or draws an open flatbed trailer when a child younger than 18 years of age is occupying the bed of the truck or trailer.
• An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $200.
• It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the person was:
• (1) operating or towing the vehicle in a parade or in an emergency;
• (2) operating the vehicle to transport farm workers from one field to another field on a farm-to-market road, ranch-to-market road, or county road outside a municipality;
• (3) operating the vehicle on a beach;
• (4) operating a vehicle that is the only vehicle owned or operated by members of the household;
• (5) or operating the vehicle in a hayride permitted by the governing body of or law enforcement agency of each county or municipality in which the hayride will occur.

This car accident is a horrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the Peterson family and all of the families involved.