Dade City, FL — May 19, 2025, a woman was killed as the result of an 18-wheeler accident that happened around 3:05 p.m. along US Highway 301.

Preliminary information about the accident says that it happened at the intersection of US Highway 301 and US 98 Bypass.

According to officials, a 75-year-old woman was in a Jeep traveling southbound along US 301. While doing so, a northbound 18-wheeler reportedly attempted to make a left turn. It crossed into the path of the Jeep, resulting in a collision.

Due to the crash, the woman in the Jeep was reportedly killed. No other injuries were reported. At this time, additional details about the accident remain unavailable.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

At first glance, a crash like this might seem straightforward. Either the truck had the right-of-way, or it didn't. Even if evidence came out tomorrow saying the truck driver did something wrong, though, that wouldn't necessarily make all of this open and shut. Truck crashes rarely come down to a single bad move by a single person. What looks like a driver’s mistake on the surface often turns out to be a symptom of deeper problems—especially when it comes to how the driver was trained, supervised, or vetted in the first place.

For example, I handled a case a while back where a truck driver made a turn he had no business attempting. On paper, it looked like a simple case of driver error. But once we got into the company’s records, the story changed. The driver had been fired from multiple previous jobs, including for safety violations, but the company hired him anyway. Their version of a “skills test” was a twenty-minute spin around the block, and that was enough to check the box. The crash wasn’t just his mistake—it was a failure of oversight. And the jury agreed.

That’s why a proper investigation has to go beyond the crash scene. Black box data and dash cam footage can help establish what happened in the moment. Court orders to pull company records and procedures can show the sort of conditions that existed prior to the collision. Ultimately, this evidence can help paint a picture that not only reveals what happened in the crash but also why it happened in the first place.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s entirely possible the truck driver did nothing wrong, or faced unavoidable circumstances beyond their control.
• Even if the driver failed to yield, that doesn’t mean the case is simple.
• Serious investigations must consider how trucking companies vet, train, and supervise drivers.
• Evidence like ECM data, dash cams, and driver history can reveal whether deeper issues were at play.
• Accountability means following the facts wherever they lead—not just stopping at the crash site.