Coleman County, TX — December 31, 2024, one person was injured in a multi-vehicle car accident at about 3:20 a.m. on State Highway 153.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2016 Honda Civic was heading southeast toward Coleman when it swerved to avoid an animal in the road and hit a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The impact caused the Jeep to overturn. A 2016 Nissan Sentra also was damaged in the crash.

A passenger in the Jeep, a 22-year-old woman whose name has not been made public, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report. The 23-year-old man driving the Jeep suffered possibly injuries, while a baby sustained minor injuries.

The other drivers were not injured, the report states.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Coleman County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I read about a crash like this, my first thought is that I hope all those involved, especially the passenger who was seriously injured, receive proper care and that investigators take the time to examine all aspects of how the incident occurred. A multi-vehicle crash involving a sudden evasive maneuver is often more complex than it appears. To fully understand what happened on State Highway 153 outside of Coleman, we need to ask three critical questions.

First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? According to the report, the driver of the Honda Civic swerved to avoid an animal. While that’s not uncommon on rural highways, it raises important questions about visibility, speed and roadway design. Was the area well-lit? Were warning signs in place to indicate wildlife crossings? Did the geometry of the road — such as curves, narrow shoulders or limited sightlines — affect the driver’s ability to safely respond to the hazard? A detailed scene reconstruction is essential to determine whether the evasive action was necessary and whether the conditions allowed for a safe recovery.

Second, has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect may have contributed to the crash or its severity? Each of the vehicles involved should be carefully inspected. Mechanical failures such as brake issues or steering malfunctions in the Civic could have influenced how the driver responded when attempting to avoid the obstacle. Additionally, the severity of the injuries in the Grand Cherokee, which reportedly overturned, raises questions about how well the vehicle’s safety systems — airbags, seatbelts and rollover protection — functioned. These inspections are essential in determining whether any equipment failed to perform as intended.

Finally, has all the electronic and digital data related to the crash been collected? The Civic and Grand Cherokee are equipped with engine control modules that likely contain key pre-crash data: speed, throttle input, braking and steering. This information can help confirm the sequence of events and show whether evasive action was taken and how each vehicle responded. If dashcams, GPS or nearby surveillance footage are available, they may also help clarify the positions and movements of the vehicles in the seconds leading up to the crash. Collecting this evidence promptly is crucial.

Crashes involving multiple vehicles and sudden hazards like animals in the road demand careful, fact-based analysis. A serious injury occurred, and determining whether it was the result of an unavoidable hazard, a mechanical failure or a preventable decision requires more than assumptions. By asking the right questions and preserving the right evidence, we can provide a clear picture of what happened, and help ensure that all those affected have the information they need to move forward.