Nashville, TN — December 8, 2025, Bolton Harry-Algeo was killed in a truck accident just before midnight on westbound Interstate 24.

Authorities said a semi-truck stopped abruptly when traffic slowed down, causing two large steel beams to shift forward through the cab. The truck came to a stop against the retaining wall on the left side of the highway near the interchange with Interstate 40.

Driver Bolton James Harry-Algeo, 31, of Barron, WI, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a truck accident involving steel beams coming loose and killing the driver, one of the first questions they ask is: How in the world does something like that happen? After all, trucks carry heavy cargo across the country every day without it breaking through the cab. So when that does happen, it’s usually a sign that something went seriously wrong; not just with driving, but with loading and securing the cargo in the first place.

At this point, we don’t have all the facts. What we do know is that the truck came to a sudden stop near the I-24/I-40 interchange in Nashville, and when it did, two steel beams shifted forward and pierced the cab, killing the driver. Authorities haven't said what caused the truck to stop, or what the beams were being used for or how they were secured.

But based on my experience, those unanswered questions are where the real accountability begins.

One of the most important steps in investigating a crash like this is figuring out who was responsible for loading the trailer. Was it the driver? Was it a third-party company at a distribution center or job site? Whoever loaded the steel beams had a duty to ensure they were secured in a way that could withstand sudden stops or shifts in traffic. If they failed to do that, they may have played a central role in what happened.

Was the trailer even the right one for hauling steel beams? Were tie-downs used, and if so, were they rated for the weight of the cargo? These aren't just technical questions. They're the difference between a load staying put and turning deadly. If no one kept proper documentation, or if people signed off on a load they didn't inspect, that’s evidence of negligence.

Sometimes the problem isn’t the driving or the road conditions. It’s that critical safety equipment wasn’t used, wasn’t enough or failed under stress. Chain binders, steel straps, edge protectors; all of these are standard tools for keeping large, heavy cargo in place. If any of them gave way during this incident, the question becomes whether they were defective, worn out or misused. And if the equipment wasn’t there at all, someone needs to answer for why the truck was sent out in that condition.

Depending on how this investigation unfolds, it may reveal that the company responsible for this load either didn’t train their drivers properly or failed to follow loading procedures. That’s not hypothetical. I’ve handled cases where a trucking company hired someone without checking their qualifications, or handed them a load with no clear instructions or safety review. Those cases often reveal a pattern of carelessness that makes deadly crashes almost inevitable.

When a cargo load ends up in the cab of a truck, it suggests a chain of decisions failed, likely involving more than one person or company. In previous cases, I’ve seen everything from unsafe load plans to mismatched trailers to inadequate lighting on overhanging cargo. And often, no one involved stopped to ask whether what they were doing made sense. That kind of blind routine — “this is how we always do it” — can be just as dangerous as speeding or drunk driving.

The only way to find out what really happened here is for investigators to look at loading documents, trailer specs, photos from the scene and even black box data from the truck itself. If there were cameras in the cab, they could show whether the driver had any warning or time to react. If there were weigh station records, they could tell us whether the load was even legal. All of that matters. And all of that is evidence.

Key Takeaways:

• When cargo shifts and kills the driver, it raises serious questions about how the load was secured, and by whom.
• Authorities haven’t said whether the trailer was properly equipped or whether tie-downs failed, so major facts remain unknown.
• Trucking companies and loaders may both bear responsibility if safety procedures were ignored or shortcuts were taken.
• Investigators should examine equipment use, load plans and black box data to determine what went wrong.
• Getting to the truth in a cargo-related crash means following the evidence back to the loading dock, not just the highway.