Lavaca County, TX — November 4, 2025, K.J. Jackson was killed in a truck accident at about 9:30 a.m. on U.S. Route 77 Alternate northeast of Yoakum.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2017 Dodge Ram 3500 with a trailer crashed into a highway sign and a light pole after leaving the road near F.M. 531.

Driver Kalik "K.J." Abrams Jackson, 18, died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to the report.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Lavaca County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a crash like this, the first questions are simple and reasonable: How does a truck with a trailer leave the roadway in the middle of the morning? What went wrong? And do we actually know why it happened yet? Right now, the answers to those questions are missing.

Based on what’s been released, we only know that a pickup truck pulling a trailer left the road and struck a highway sign and a light pole. What caused the vehicle to leave the roadway is not explained. That gap matters, because vehicles don’t just drift off the road without a reason. Something usually fails; either the driver, the equipment, the roadway conditions or some combination of the three.

It’s not clear whether the driver lost control due to distraction, fatigue or a mechanical problem. We don’t yet know if the trailer played a role. Trailers can change how a vehicle handles, especially if they’re improperly loaded, unbalanced or experiencing a tire or hitch failure. Without that information, any assumption about fault is premature.

A proper investigation would start with the basics. Was there any electronic data available from the truck that could show speed, braking or steering inputs before it left the road? Were there cell phone records that could confirm whether the driver was distracted? Did the trailer have any mechanical issues, such as tire failure or load shift, that could have pulled the vehicle off course?

The crash scene alone rarely tells the full story. In cases like this, I’ve seen investigators uncover problems that weren’t obvious at first glance: worn trailer components, inadequate maintenance or evidence showing the vehicle gradually drifted rather than suddenly swerved. Each of those possibilities points to a very different cause.

Until authorities release more details, there are simply too many unanswered questions to draw conclusions. The only way to understand what really happened is through evidence: data, records and a careful reconstruction of the moments leading up to the crash. That process is what separates speculation from facts.

Key Takeaways

• Vehicles with trailers don’t leave the roadway without an underlying cause.
• It’s not yet clear whether distraction, mechanical failure or trailer-related issues played a role.
• Electronic data and phone records can be critical to understanding what happened.
• Trailer condition and loading are often overlooked but can be decisive factors.
• Real accountability only comes after all available evidence is examined.