Kittitas County, WA — January 7, 2026, Brayden Duncan was killed in a truck accident at about 4 p.m. on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass.
Authorities said a 2004 Honda Civic was heading west when it slid off the road and hit a barrier before steering back onto the highway. It then was hit by a semi-truck.
Honda driver Brayden A. Duncan, 21, of Auburn was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Kittitas County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
After any fatal collision, especially one involving a large truck, people naturally want to know how it happened. But getting real answers requires more than a brief investigation. Without a deep dive into all aspects of the crash, key pieces of the puzzle are often left behind.
Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? The information released so far suggests a relatively straightforward chain of events, but that doesn’t always tell the full story. Investigators should have gone well beyond the surface: taking precise measurements, mapping the scene and evaluating vehicle positions before and after the crash. That kind of detailed reconstruction can clarify whether evasive action was taken, how fast each vehicle was traveling and whether the conditions called for more than just a cursory review. It’s also worth remembering that investigative resources and crash expertise vary widely from one department to another. In cases like this, those gaps in experience can make a big difference in the outcome of a report.
Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? If a car suddenly leaves the road and then sharply returns into traffic, it’s reasonable to question whether something in the vehicle malfunctioned. Was there an issue with the steering, brakes or stability control system? Did a worn or defective part fail at a critical moment? Mechanical failures aren’t always obvious at the scene, especially in a high-impact crash. That’s why a hands-on inspection of the vehicle, by someone qualified to spot subtle failures, is essential. Without it, we risk drawing conclusions based only on appearances.
Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Today’s vehicles carry a wealth of digital evidence that can confirm what happened before and during a crash. That includes things like throttle position, brake use, steering input and speed, along with possible distractions, like a phone in use. Commercial trucks often have even more detailed logs, including GPS data and driver behavior records. It’s unclear if any of that data has been pulled here, but it could help explain what both drivers were doing in the moments before the crash. It might also help clarify how quickly events unfolded, which is key to understanding whether either driver had a real chance to avoid impact.
These crashes don’t happen in a vacuum. There’s always a context, and often more than one contributing factor. But without asking the right questions early on, opportunities to get real answers disappear fast. That’s why a deeper look — into the vehicles, the data and the investigation itself — matters more than most people realize.
Key takeaways:
- A surface-level crash report might miss critical details unless a full reconstruction is done.
- Vehicle malfunctions don’t always leave visible signs, so thorough inspections are key.
- Electronic data from both vehicles could show what happened second by second.
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