Officers, Civilian Injured in Two-Vehicle Crash on the West Side

According to a KSAT News report, a two-vehicle crash involving a police cruiser injured two officers and one civilian on the West Side this morning.

Police reported the accident happened sometime in the morning on Thursday, May 29th, at the intersection of North Brazos and Ruiz streets. A police cruiser traveling northbound on Brazos collided with a civilian vehicle traveling eastbound on Ruiz. A stop sign obstructed by tree branches may have contributed to the accident, but who caused it was unclear.

A male officer (the driver) suffered a head injury, and a female officer suffered an injury to the hand, and both were taken to the hospital. A passenger in the other vehicle was also injured and taken to the hospital in unknown condition.

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Did You Know?

31,693 accidents in Texas last year were caused by failure to yield the right-of-way at a stop sign.

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Obstructed Street Signs and Accidents: Who’s Responsible?

Overgrown trees, improperly placed signage, and other visibility issues can make it hard for drivers to see stop signs, intersections, or even oncoming traffic. While drivers must remain alert, third parties—such as property owners or municipalities—may also bear responsibility when they create or ignore dangerous obstructions.

What Counts as a Visual Obstruction?

Obstructions that can impair a driver’s visibility include:

• Overgrown trees or shrubbery

• Tall hedges

• Business signs

• Statues or decorative structures

• Parked commercial vehicles or delivery trucks

• Construction barriers or machinery

• Sharp curves or steep inclines

• Poorly placed fences

These are usually found near intersections, shopping centers, or pedestrian-heavy areas—all of which are extremely dangerous places to have such obstructions.

Driver Responsibility in Obstructed View Accidents

Texas drivers are legally required to:

• Maintain a Proper Lookout – Stay alert and eliminate distractions.

• Adjust to Conditions – Slow down if visibility is limited.

• Exercise Reasonable Care – Don’t assume an intersection is clear just because it’s hard to see.

Even if a driver can’t see a stop sign due to overgrowth or signage, they still have a duty to drive cautiously and not proceed blindly into traffic.

When Can a Third Party Be Held Liable?

If a business, property owner, or city fails to address a known hazard—like an overgrown tree covering a stop sign—they can be held partially or fully responsible for a crash. Third-party liability may apply if:

• The obstruction created a hazard

• The party knew or should have known about the hazard

• They failed to take reasonable action to remove or mitigate it

Proving third-party fault can be challenging and often requires evidence gathering, investigation, and legal expertise.

Meeting this criterion is extremely difficult on your own. If you believe that an obstruction caused your car crash, it’s critical that you talk to a car accident lawyer ASAP to protect your rights.

Injured in an Accident Caused by an Obstructed View? Call Shaw!

If you were injured in an accident caused by an obstructed view in San Antonio, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:

• Ambulance Costs,
• ER Treatment,
• Medical Bills,
• Pain and Suffering,
• Property Damage,
• Missed Work,
• And More.

We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.

Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 today to schedule your free case evaluation with an experienced car accident lawyer in San Antonio. There are no fees or obligations attached—just the expert legal advice you need. Carabin Shaw has been a trusted name in San Antonio for over 32 years because we put our clients first.

We look forward to serving you.

 

¹KSAT Report

²TxDOT Crash Data (2024)