The tragic Aug. 9 collision happened along FM-1462
BRAZORIA, TX, (August 09, 2024) - On Tuesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety released the names of two individuals who were involved in a fatal multi-vehicle collision on Friday.
Shirley Updike and Mark Updike were identified as the fatally injured victims of a motor vehicle crash Aug. 10 in Brazoria County.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 85-year-old Shirley Updike of Alvin was operating a 2010 Toyota Corolla southwest on Farm-to-Market 1462 when she slowed down to turn into a residential driveway at approximately 1 p.m. At that same time and location, a 2021 GMC Sierra pickup traveling southwest on FM-1462 struck the back of Updike's vehicle. This caused her vehicle to spin counterclockwise into the opposite lane of travel where it was hit by a 1997 Freightliner tractor-trailer.
Sadly, Shirley passed away after being airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, while her passenger, Mark Updike, also from Alvin, died at the scene.
The driver of the Freightliner was treated and released from UTMB Health Angleton Danbury Campus.
DPS officials stated that charges are pending against the 81-year-old man who was driving the Sierra pickup.
CRASH INVESTIGATION
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System recorded 33,654 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States, resulting in 36,560 deaths.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all potential contributing factors that are considered and examined,” stated Candice Bond, an experienced attorney and Managing Partner at Bond Legal.
“Sometimes, an accident reconstruction team is required to piece together what happened. All these resources are essential in helping clients receive financial compensation for damages or a loss after an accident,” added Bond.
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
Pending the investigation, the family of the victims could pursue a wrongful death claim. Relatives of wrongful death victims are entitled to seek damages for the loss of companionship, pain and suffering, and emotional distress following a tragic or catastrophic accident.
“The stress and sorrow can be extremely overwhelming after losing a loved one in an accident,” said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
“We understand the hardships that families face, and it's crucial to protect their rights. A wrongful death lawyer will keep abreast of the official investigation and ensure that their legal rights and best interests are safeguarded."
If you or a family member have been involved in a situation similar to this article and would like to speak to our national legal analysts Candice Bond or Stefano Formica free of charge, please use the contact information found on this page
(Candice Bond, Managing Partner, and Stefano Formica, Of Counsel, at Bond Legal, are the national legal analysts for Newsline. Newsline can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-985-6515 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).