Harris County, TX — January 3, 2025, two people were injured in a single-car accident shortly after 11:45 p.m. along State Loop 8 (Sam Houston Tollway).

According to authorities, two men ages 22 and 25 were traveling in a southbound Buick Century on the Sam Houston Tollway in the vicinity of the I.H. 69 junction when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that the Buick swerved in order to avoid another vehicle on the roadway, but was consequently involved in a single-vehicle collision in which it collided with a retaining wall. The 25-year-old passenger reportedly sustained serious injuries due to the wreck while the 22-year-old driver suffered minor injuries. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identities of the victims—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

What makes cases like this one so complex is that, on the surface, they appear straightforward—a vehicle swerves, crashes, and injuries result. But in my experience, that surface explanation is rarely the whole story. Every serious crash deserves a careful and deliberate look at the facts, and that starts with three critical questions.

The first question is whether authorities thoroughly investigated the crash. When a crash is attributed to evasive action, the question becomes: how do we know? A solid investigation should go beyond statements and include scene evidence like skid marks, vehicle positions, and any available traffic camera or surveillance footage. In large counties like Harris, where law enforcement faces high call volumes and limited time, there's a risk that a crash scene is processed quickly, and important context gets lost. If investigators don’t have the bandwidth to dig deep, it's important for someone else—like an independent crash expert—to step in and follow up.

The second question is whether anyone has considered the possibility of a vehicle defect. People rarely suspect mechanical failure when a driver takes sudden action, but it’s exactly those situations where a failure—like brakes not responding or a steering system locking up—can come into play. A forensic vehicle inspection is the only way to know for sure. Unfortunately, unless someone steps in quickly to preserve the vehicle and look for evidence of a defect, those clues can be lost forever once the car is moved or repaired.

The third and often most overlooked question is whether all the relevant electronic data has been collected. Between onboard vehicle data systems, nearby traffic cameras, and occupants' cell phones, there are often multiple sources of information that can shed light on what really happened. That data can confirm the vehicle's speed, steering inputs, and braking—all vital details in evaluating whether a driver had control or if something else interfered. But like physical evidence, this digital information can disappear if it’s not preserved promptly.

Answering these three questions is critical to making sure that no stone is left unturned in understanding the causes of a crash like this. Serious wrecks deserve serious investigation, not assumptions. Getting clear answers to these questions is crucial for those seeking to understand what happened and why—and it's the least that can be done to help those affected find the clarity and closure they deserve.