Woman accused of intoxication assault

Officials: Musselwhite, 25, nearly four times the blood alcohol limit when crash occurred

A Bowie County grand jury last week formally indicted a woman accused of being drunk when she caused a crash that ended her own pregnancy and seriously injured another driver.

photo

AP

A man walks past Mercedes-Benz cars parked outside the dealer sales showroom in Beijing, China Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. China's government said Monday it has concluded Mercedes-Benz violated anti-monopoly law and charged excessive prices for parts, adding to a growing number of global automakers snared in an investigation of the industry. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Tyler Briann Musselwhite, 25, was reportedly eight months pregnant and four times the .08 blood alcohol limit when she crossed the center line and struck another car Aug. 3 on U.S. Highway 59 in Bowie County, according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account.

Musselwhite is accused of striking a northbound Hyundai Sonata driven by Mallory Dauzat, 31, after crossing from the inside southbound lane at approximately 8 p.m. A pickup traveling in front of the Hyundai managed to avoid the crash, but the Hyundai's front quarter panel was hit by Musselwhite's oncoming Mitsubishi.

The two cars reportedly became entangled, spinning in a counter-clockwise direction before separating. Musselwhite's car skidded sideways before rolling onto its right side, partially ejecting Musselwhite, who was not wearing a seatbelt.

The jaws of life reportedly had to be used to extract Dauzat from her car. She suffered a broken pelvis, broken legs, broken arm and head injuries. Dauzat said she has been unable to return to work since the accident.

Witnesses who helped free Musselwhite from her wrecked car allegedly reported a strong odor of alcohol, and a partially consumed bottle of vodka was allegedly recovered from the mangled Mitsubishi. Testing of Musselwhite's blood conducted at the hospital prior to surgery allegedly showed a blood alcohol level of .329. A sample of Musselwhite's blood was sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab for testing as well. Those results are not included in the affidavit.

Musselwhite was indicted Thursday for intoxication assault. The third-degree felony is punishable by two to 10 years in prison. Musselwhite is being held in the Bowie County jail. A date for her to appear in court for arraignment before 102nd District Judge Bobby Lockhart has not been scheduled.

Dauzat is facing months of rehabilitation. A GoFundMe page has been established to accept donations to help defray her mounting expenses at gofundme.com/ua8bz-head-on-collision.

[email protected]

Upcoming Events