Erik Morales Arrested in Horrific Crash on East Amarillo Boulevard [Amarillo, TX]

Amarillo, TX (June 18, 2025) — 32-year-old Erik Morales faces a second-offense DWI charge after allegedly hitting a woman who was crossing a street in Amarillo on the night of June 17.

According to the Amarillo Police Department, officers responded around 10 p.m. to a reported pedestrian crash near a McDonald’s on East Amarillo Boulevard.

Investigators determined that a woman was crossing the roadway outside a marked crosswalk when a black SUV traveling east struck her.

Emergency responders transported the woman to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Police identified the driver as Morales. Officers reported that Morales showed signs of impairment and did not perform well during field sobriety testing. Authorities arrested him and booked him into the Potter County Jail on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Records indicate Morales has a previous DWI conviction, resulting in the current charge being classified as a second offense.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), a person is injured in a motor vehicle crash every two minutes in Texas. In 2021 alone, more than 239,000 people were hurt in traffic accidents statewide — a sobering reminder that road safety is truly a matter of life and death.

Sadly, reckless and distracted driving continue to claim lives every day. Every few hours, another fatal crash happens somewhere in Texas. That’s why it’s so important to drive defensively, stay alert, follow the speed limit, and keep an eye out for others on the road. Safe driving is everyone’s responsibility.

Impaired driving puts everyone on the road at risk, including pedestrians. Drivers should never get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs, and pedestrians should use designated crosswalks whenever possible to help reduce the risk of serious accidents.

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File a Personal Injury Claim in Case of Vehicle Crash

A personal injury claim following a traffic collision is a legal process that allows an injured party to seek compensation for physical, emotional, and financial harm caused by the accident. These claims arise when a driver’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions lead to an accident resulting in injuries.

The first step in pursuing a personal injury claim is to establish fault. This normally involved gathering evidence such as police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and photographs of the accident scene. A skilled attorney from Sweet Lawyers can help establish who was responsible for the accident, which is indeed, necessary for determining liability.

Once fault is established, the injured party can then pursue compensation for damages which may include but are not limited to medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Consequently, medical documentation and expert testimony are essential for proving the extent of the injuries and their impact on the victim’s life.

Meanwhile, it’s important to note that the statute of limitations, or the time frame within which a personal injury claim must be filed, varies by state. Meaning if a claim is not filed within this window, the victim and the family of the victim may lose the right to seek compensation.

A personal injury claim in case of a traffic collision can be complex, but it offers an essential avenue that helps the victims to recover damages and hold negligent drivers accountable.

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