Los Angeles, CA — August 29, 2025, Nga Nguyen was killed in a truck accident at about 10:45 a.m. on West Park Lane Circle in Brentwood.
Authorities said an unoccupied work truck rolled backward in the 16500 block of West Park Lane Circle and hit a woman.
The woman, 67-year-old Nga Nguyen, died at the scene of the accident, according to authorities.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the accident at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear that someone was killed by an unoccupied truck that rolled backward, the first question that comes to mind is, how does something like that even happen? After all, trucks aren’t supposed to move on their own. If this one did, something went seriously wrong, and someone likely failed to do their job.
At this point, authorities have said very little about how the truck came to roll backward and strike a woman. But even with limited information, there are a few key questions that should guide any proper investigation. Was the truck properly secured? Was the parking brake engaged? Did it have a mechanical failure, or was it parked on a slope without wheel chocks? Depending on those answers, the focus could fall on the driver, the company, the vehicle’s maintenance history or all three.
In my experience, these kinds of cases often turn on simple steps that should have been taken but weren’t. For example, I’ve handled cases where a truck rolled due to a faulty air brake system that had been neglected for years. In others, the problem was that the driver skipped standard post-parking checks, something that only takes seconds but can make the difference between safety and disaster.
Another area that shouldn’t be overlooked is company policy and oversight. Some trucking or construction firms don’t do enough to ensure their drivers follow basic safety procedures. If the driver wasn’t trained properly, or if the company failed to inspect and maintain its vehicles, that could shift liability squarely onto them. That’s why every responsible investigation should dig into hiring practices, maintenance logs and any prior incidents involving the vehicle or driver.
At the end of the day, no one should be killed by a truck that isn’t even in motion, unless someone somewhere didn’t take a basic step to prevent it. What matters now is getting to the truth, and that won’t happen just by taking the initial police report at face value. We need evidence: inspection records, brake system diagnostics, driver statements and surveillance footage, if any exists. Until all of that is reviewed, any claim that this was “just an accident” is premature.
Key Takeaways:
- A truck rolling backward on its own raises serious questions about mechanical condition, parking practices and safety procedures.
- Investigators should look closely at whether the parking brake was set, whether wheel chocks were used and if the vehicle had a known defect.
- Company policies around training, equipment maintenance and post-use procedures may determine where liability falls.
- An independent investigation is essential to uncover what really happened. Relying solely on early official statements is rarely enough.
- The key is not just knowing that a failure occurred, but identifying whose failure it was and whether it could have been prevented.
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