The man hit by Texas Tech head football coach Tommy Tuberville’s wife in a car wreck at 57th and Slide in November 2011, died Friday.
Suzanne Tuberville could be facing manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide charges pending the autopsy results of Ira Purdy, 87.
After reading The Daily Toreador story online, Sgt. Jonathan Stewart with the Lubbock Police Department called The Daily Toreador and said LPD has not made a decision if any charges will be filed, since it is an ongoing investigation.
On Nov. 1, 2011, Suzanne Tuberville ran a red light and hit an elderly couple in their car. The Purdys sustained injuries, which caused them to be hospitalized at University Medical Center.
Ira Purdy was transferred from Covenant Medical Center to a rehabilitation center and then to a care center, where he died.
Stewart said the investigation is still open due to the extent of the injuries one of the passengers sustained, and the recent death of Purdy.
He said no citation was issued at the scene of the crime due to the physical condition of one of the passengers. However, a source close to the Purdys said a citation was issued six weeks after the wreck.
The source close to the Purdys said they are disheartened with LPD’s investigation of the accident.
A prominent Lubbock criminal lawyer told The Daily Toreador many times state prosecutors will charge people who run red lights resulting in a death with criminally negligent homicide or even manslaughter, which carries a higher penalty than criminally negligent homicide. Whether this happens, he said, will usually depend on other circumstances, such as speeding, which could be evidence of recklessness or criminal negligence.
Nelda Purdy, 73, has almost fully recovered from her injuries and is hoping to seek action for her husband’s death and her hospital stay.
Blayne Beal, associate athletic director of communications, said Tommy Tuberville gives his condolences to the family.
Members of the Lubbock District Attorney’s office said they are waiting for LPD to finish the investigation before the district attorney can decide to prosecute Suzanne Tuberville.
Quetha Derryberry, the senior investigator at the Lubbock Medical Examiner’s office, has not returned phone calls.