Bexar County, TX — June 23, 2024, Joseph Lopez and another person were injured due to a car accident at approximately 10:15 p.m. along Pat Booker Road.

According to authorities, two people—30-year-old Joseph Lopez and a 30-year-old woman—were traveling in a northbound Nissan Altima on Pat Booker Road at the State Loop 1604 north access road intersection when the accident took place. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a collision occurred between the front-end of the Altima and the front-right quarter of a southbound Dodge Ram pickup truck that had been attempting a left turn onto the access road.

It remains unclear which vehicle had the right-of-way at the time of the accident. Lopez reportedly sustained serious injuries due to the wreck; the woman who had been driving the Nissan suffered minor injuries, as well, according to reports. They were each transported to local medical facilities by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. It does not appear that anyone from the pickup truck was hurt. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash happens at night at a busy intersection, there’s often a lot of confusion about what exactly occurred. But no matter how straightforward it might appear on the surface, these cases demand a closer look—especially when right-of-way isn’t clearly established and serious injuries are involved.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
In a situation where it's unclear which driver had the right-of-way, investigators should be conducting a full reconstruction. Was the scene documented with precise measurements or high-resolution scans? Did officers consider things like speed, timing of the turn, and traffic signal phases? Unfortunately, when both vehicles are badly damaged and witnesses are few, there’s a real risk that conclusions will be based on assumptions or partial accounts. That’s why methodical evidence collection matters.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
If either driver made a move that didn’t match the traffic flow, it’s worth asking whether their vehicle responded properly. Did the Altima have working headlights and brakes? Could the Ram have had steering trouble or delayed acceleration that impacted its turn? These issues can easily go undetected without a full mechanical inspection, especially if the vehicles are quickly repaired or written off without investigation.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
With nighttime crashes, electronic data becomes even more critical. Onboard systems might show whether the Altima was accelerating, braking, or trying to avoid the Ram. The truck’s systems might reveal how fast it was moving and when the turn began. Camera footage from nearby traffic poles or businesses could also clarify who entered the intersection first. That kind of data may be the only way to separate fact from speculation.

When the facts are murky and fault isn't obvious, the next steps taken by investigators can make or break the case. Without a close look at both machines and their digital footprints, the answers may never come into focus.

Takeaways:

• Intersections with unclear right-of-way demand careful scene reconstruction.
• Mechanical failures can influence turning or stopping decisions and must be checked.
• Vehicle systems and camera footage may hold the clearest version of what happened.