Raleigh, NC — June 6, 2025, Bobby Edwards Jr. was killed in a truck accident at about 7 p.m. at the intersection of Poole Road and South New Hope Road.

Authorities said a 2022 Suzuki GSC1300RR was turning left onto Poole Road when it crashed into the trailer being hauled by an eastbound 2025 Ford F-550.

Motorcyclist Bobby Edwards Jr., 44, died after being taken to an area hospital, according to authorities.

No other injuries were reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When someone hears about a fatal crash involving a motorcycle and a truck, especially at an intersection, the first question that comes to mind is: How did this happen? The official reports say a motorcycle turning left collided with a trailer hauled by a Ford F-550, but that doesn’t tell us nearly enough. Was the truck already in the intersection? Was it moving through on a green light? Was the motorcycle trying to beat the light? None of that is clear, and those unknowns matter a lot.

From a legal standpoint, everything hinges on the sequence of events. For instance, depending on whether the truck had the right of way or was already in the intersection, this could be a straightforward case, or a very complex one. Right now, we simply don’t know.

Here’s what investigators would need to look into:

• Traffic signals and camera footage: Did either vehicle run a red light? Was the motorcycle making a legal and safe left turn?
• Vehicle speeds and positions: Did either driver have time to react? Was either speeding?
• Dash cams and ECM data: The F-550 is a heavy-duty commercial vehicle, and many of these trucks have engine control modules that log speed, brakin, and throttle use before a crash. If dash cams were installed, they could show exactly where both vehicles were in relation to the intersection.

These facts are essential. Without them, people tend to fill in the blanks with assumptions; often blaming the motorcyclist simply because they're more vulnerable, or the truck driver because of the size of their vehicle. But the law doesn’t work on assumptions. It works on evidence.

Depending on what the investigation reveals, different legal questions come up:

• If the truck was stopped or turning, was it positioned correctly in the intersection?
• If the truck had already passed through the intersection, was the trailer extending into the road in an unsafe way?
• If the motorcyclist misjudged the turn, what road conditions or visibility issues might have contributed?

And if the F-550 was being used for commercial purposes, there may also be company policies or training standards to review. Was the driver properly trained? Was he rushing to meet a schedule? Those questions don’t get answered unless someone goes looking.

I’ve litigated plenty of intersection crashes where things weren’t as simple as they first appeared. One case involved a trucker who followed the letter of the traffic law but made a left turn so wide it confused everyone else at the intersection. Another involved a driver whose dash cam footage ended up clearing him completely, footage the police never even reviewed.

Without a thorough, independent investigation, there’s no way to know which story this crash tells.

Key Takeaways

• It’s still unclear who had the right of way or how the collision occurred.
• Dash cams, black box data and intersection cameras could be critical to understanding the crash.
• If the truck was used for work, company policies and driver training may also factor in.
• Legal responsibility can't be assigned until all the evidence is reviewed.
• Getting to the truth means asking the questions the crash report doesn’t answer.