Tehama County, CA — November 12, 2025, two people were injured in a truck accident at about 1:15 p.m. on State Route 99/Golden State Highway.

Authorities said a northbound semi-truck hauling logs rear-ended a minivan that was slowing to turn left onto 3rd Avenue north of Los Molinos.

A woman riding in the minivan was flown to a local hospital with major injuries, according to authorities.

The woman who was driving suffered moderate injuries, authorities said.

The truck driver was not hurt, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Tehama County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After a serious highway collision, many people are left with more questions than answers. It’s not just about what happened, but why, and whether everything possible is being done to understand it. When a large commercial truck crashes into a passenger vehicle, those questions take on even greater weight.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Any time a fully loaded semi collides with a slower-moving vehicle, the situation demands close analysis. Investigators should be going beyond just marking skid distances or snapping a few scene photos. They need to map the crash site in detail, analyze driver behavior leading up to the moment of impact and reconstruct how the crash unfolded. Sometimes officers are highly trained in this kind of work, but that’s not always the case. Without a deep dive into how much time the truck driver had to react, or whether that reaction came too late, key facts might be missed.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? There’s also the question of whether the semi’s braking system worked as it should have. Rear-end crashes involving large trucks often raise concerns about air brake performance, worn-out components or delayed system responses. If no one checked the truck’s mechanical systems after the crash, there’s a risk that a critical failure could go unnoticed. A problem like that wouldn’t necessarily leave obvious clues behind, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a factor.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? It’s hard to get the full picture without data from the truck’s onboard systems. Speed, braking, throttle position: those details can show whether the driver was distracted, reacting late or even speeding before impact. GPS tracking and dispatch logs can also help verify what happened in the minutes leading up to the crash. The same goes for the minivan: dash cams, phone records or even infotainment data could clarify events. Without gathering all this information, investigators are working with half the story.

When lives are upended in a crash, the most important thing is making sure no stone is left unturned. These deeper questions aren’t just academic. They’re how we ensure responsibility is accurately placed and that something similar doesn’t happen again.

Plain-language takeaways:

• Investigators should fully analyze how and why the truck hit the slowing vehicle.
• A mechanical issue with the semi’s brakes or systems may have played a role.
• Electronic data from both vehicles can offer critical details, but only if collected.