GALVESTON — A Temple woman’s recollection of a traffic crash brought her to tears Tuesday as she described in court how her family vacation abruptly ended.
Denise Knight was injured along with her husband and children during a March 19, 2008, five-car crash in Galveston when their automobile was struck from behind on Harborside Drive, Galveston police said.
Lauree Ann Snider Strunk, 38, of League City, was charged with intoxication assault. Testimony in her trial, which began Tuesday in Judge Susan Criss’ 212th District Court, is expected to close today.
Galveston police accused Strunk of having a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit of .08 percent. Her exact blood-alcohol content is expected to be revealed in testimony this morning.
Knight testified her children were excited about spending their spring break at a Galveston water park.
Knight spent more than a week at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, recovering from her injuries.
Prosecutor Xochitl Vandiver-Gaskin asked Knight when she became aware of the crash.
“When I woke up, I was in a hospital in Temple,” Knight said. “I was wondering why I was there.”
Knight, who was pregnant, wasn’t able to recognize her children until two weeks before her release from the Temple hospital at the end of May 2008, she testified.
“I was going through speech and occupational therapy, seeing a psychiatrist and having an obstetrician look at me,” Knight said. “I didn’t know who I was. I was very agitated. I didn’t know any of my children.”
Vandiver-Gaskin asked how the crash affected her life.
“When I got out, I had to have a sitter with me,” Knight said. “It was hard to get back cooking, washing, cleaning the house, doing laundry.”
