Houston, TX — January 25, 2025, Herman Nugent was killed as the result of a car accident that happened around 6:05 p.m. on N. McCarty Street.

Harris County officials released information saying the crash happened at the intersection of North McCarty Street and Liberty Road/Beaumont Highway.

It appears that 69-year-old Herman Nugent was in a vehicle traveling along McCarty. Ahead, authorities say that a tractor-trailer going the same direction made a "left turn" onto Liberty Road. For reasons unclear, Nugent's vehicle reportedly left its lane, crashed into a sign, then crashed into the truck's trailer. Nugent's vehicle then caught fire as a result.

Due to the crash, Nugent was killed. Right now, additional details about the accident remain unconfirmed.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Something to consider following any serious accident is that investigations shouldn't be limited solely to the actions of the drivers involved. Obviously, those are important details, but let me explain why that can result in an incomplete picture. Here, authorities point out that the victim's vehicle caught fire. I see cases all the time where something like that is treated as a mere footnote. Through further investigations, though, evidence might show that a vehicle fire happened due to a vehicle defect.

Simply put, there are problems that certain vehicles may have which cause them to catch on fire when other, safer vehicles wouldn't. If there is an issue with a car that leads to fatal or serious injuries, and reasonable design or production measures could have been taken to prevent that issue, then the manufacturer of the vehicle may be responsible for those avoidable fatal or serious injuries.

However, this can take a significant amount of time, experience, and specialized tools to properly examine. Those aren't often things authorities have access to. So if a department doesn't have these resources, they might take steps to have independent investigators who are experienced and well-equipped examine the victim's vehicle. If they instead just move on without questioning something like a vehicle fire, it may be up to the victim's loved ones themselves to ensure independent experienced professionals examine the vehicle for potential defects. Even just ruling one out can be a significant weight off a family's mind.

Whether or not any such steps have been taken here remains to be seen.