Attorney John O'Quinn Dies in Car Wreck

Houston-based high-profile attorney John O'Quinn is dead after his SUV left the roadway and slammed into a tree. An assistant was also killed in the crash.

It happened around 8 a.m. Thursday as O'Quinn traveled in the westbound lanes of Allen Parkway. Police say the lawyer was driving a black Chevorlet Suburban at a high rate of speed when it jumped the median and hit a tree head-on.

The other victim was identified as Johnny Cutliff. Representatives for the O'Quinn Law Firm say Cutliff was a "support employee" who worked at the company for 25 years.

While roads were slick due to overnight rains, the cause of the incident was not immediately determined. Crash investigators say neither men were wearing a seat belt.

Crews worked for hours to clean up the parkway, affecting traffic in both directions. They had to cut the tree down to tow the vehicle from the scene.

O'Quinn, 68, was a trial lawyer made famous for winning multi-million and multi-billion dollar cases -- including those against a breast implant manufacturer and the tobacco industry. A 2006 report in Forbes estimates the lawyer won more than $1.5 billion for his firm.

He also was prosecuted by the State Bar of Texas for how he obtained cases and found in contempt midtrial for sleeping in a jury room.

"What I do is represent the powerless against the powerful. I've been blessed with talent, and I've got commitment and passion," O'Quinn told Texas Monthly in June 2000.

The lawyer was also known for his $100 million car collection of over 600 vehicles, included John F. Kennedy's 1962 bubble top limousine and a Batmobile used in the making of a Batman film.

Before launching his career, O'Quinn graduated from the University of Houston Law Center as the son of a car garage owner. Several Houston landmarks bear his name, including the football field at UH, the UH law library, and various medical center institutions and buildings.