Halifax County, VA — January 16, 2023, 22-year-old Joshua Wells died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on Philpott Road in Halifax County.

Authorities say the incident happened around 8:30 a.m. along Philpott near Calvary Road. Preliminary investigation suggests an 18-wheeler was stopped in the road's right lane due to a tree that had fallen across the lanes. Wells reportedly approached in a Chevy S10 pickup in the left lane, but allegedly swerved right for unspecified reasons and collided with the big rig.

Wells was critically injured in the collision. He was transported to an area hospital where he died a short time later. The truck driver was unhurt.

The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.

The press currently says the driver who died in this collision swerved out of his lane and into the truck for seemingly-unknown reasons. I don't have any specific reason to doubt their or investigators' word, but it also doesn't seem like most folks would just arbitrarily do that. What exactly happened as the pickup approached the tree? If that's still unclear, are investigators at least working to figure it out?

I'm not trying to make trouble here; I just think most would agree that when a young life is cut short it's best to fully investigate how and why. Whether the public gets that information or it's only relayed to his family to help bring them closure, there's always a reason to ensure the whole truth is learned. In the end I just hope authorities can get satisfactory answers for the people who need and deserve them.