Cleveland, TN — February 24, 2025, Bobby Little was killed in a truck accident at about 3 p.m. on Interstate 75.

Authorities said a vehicle crashed into the back of a semi-truck that was disabled on the side of the highway.

Driver Bobby Little, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash south of County Road 60, according to authorities.

No other injuries were reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bradley County crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a vehicle crashes into the back of a disabled semi-truck, the key question isn’t just who hit whom: it’s whether the truck was stopped safely and properly marked. At first glance, some might assume the driver who rear-ended the truck was at fault, but in my experience, that’s not always the full story.

Investigators need to determine why the truck was stopped in the first place. Was it due to a legitimate mechanical failure, or was the driver pulling over for a non-emergency reason? If the truck had been sitting there for a while, was it properly marked with hazard lights and reflective warning triangles, as required by federal regulations? A semi-truck on the side of the road isn’t necessarily a danger on its own, but if it wasn’t clearly visible, it could have become a deadly obstacle.

Another important factor is the placement of the truck. Was it fully on the shoulder, or was part of it still in the roadway? If even a small portion of the trailer was in a travel lane, that would significantly increase the risk of a crash.

Crashes like this are often assumed to be open and shut, but if authorities don’t take a hard look at why the truck was there and whether proper safety precautions were followed, they might miss key details. If the truck driver failed to follow the rules meant to prevent crashes like this, then at least some responsibility may fall on them, or the company that put them on the road.