HOUSTON, TX (08/12/2016) — Brian Manring lost his life in an accident involving an off-duty police officer suspected of driving while intoxicated.
UPDATE 08/17/2016: Houston Police Officer James Combs has been charged with intoxication manslaughter for the death of 36-year-old Brian Manring. Records show that his blood alcohol level was .17; over twice the legal limit. His bond has been set at $100,000.
According to Houston police, 36-year-old Brian Manring was killed in a two-vehicle collision that occurred on Beechnut Street, near the intersection of FM 1464 in Houston, Texas.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office reported that at around 6:30 a.m., an off-duty police officer from the Houston Police Department (HPD) was traveling westbound on Beechnut in a Chevy Tahoe SUV, when he crossed the center line of the roadway and collided with an eastbound Chevy Corvette, driven by Manring.
Accident Scene
Manring did not survive the crash.
According to Major Chad Norvell, deputies detected an odor of alcohol from the officer in question. However, he refused a field sobriety test.
“Subsequently, we did get a warrant and did a blood draw from him when he was transported to the hospital,” said Norvell.
That officer has been relived of duty. Authorities are awaiting the results of the blood test to determine if charges will be filed.
Commentary
As investigators await the blood test results, we suspect that this driver will face criminal charges for this collision regardless of whether or not he was intoxicated. According to the statement released by HPD, the driver of the Tahoe still failed to maintain his lane and caused a fatal accident. Additionally, the victim’s family may choose to bring a civil (wrongful death) lawsuit against the at-fault driver. We’re hoping that a complete investigating will offer more answers.
To those affected by this tragic crash, we offer our condolences.
