Fort Worth, TX — April 26, 2025, Brenda Gause was injured in a truck accident at about 7:40 p.m. on F.M. 156 near Interstate 820.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2023 International semi-truck was turning out of a private driveway when its trailer was hit by a 2019 BMW X1.

BMW driver Brenda Gause, 58, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries in the crash, the report states, while his passenger was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Tarrant County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a passenger vehicle crashes into the side of a trailer that’s crossing a road, people often assume the smaller vehicle’s driver must not have been paying attention. But in my experience handling these kinds of cases, it’s rarely that simple. The real issue usually comes down to whether the trailer was visible in time for someone to avoid hitting it.

Based on the preliminary information, it appears the truck driver was pulling out of a private driveway across F.M. 156 when their trailer was struck by an oncoming BMW. That detail raises an immediate question about visibility. Was the trailer properly marked and lit? At dusk, which is around the time this crash happened, it can be very difficult to see a trailer crossing the road, especially if the driver only had a second or two to react. Reflective tape and lighting are required on commercial trailers for this exact reason, but I’ve seen many cases where those safety features were missing or damaged.

Another critical issue is timing. Trucks making these kinds of wide, slow turns need to judge not just gaps in traffic but whether there’s enough time to complete the maneuver safely. If the truck driver misjudged the speed of oncoming vehicles or blocked the lane too long, that decision could place the legal responsibility squarely on their shoulders.

That’s why evidence beyond what’s written in a police report becomes so important. Investigators should review dashcam footage, measure skid marks, and pull engine control module data from both vehicles if possible. These records can show how fast the BMW was going, whether the truck came to a stop before entering the road, and how much time passed between the truck entering the highway and the impact. All those facts matter in determining who was legally at fault.

The main takeaway here is that these kinds of crashes demand a full investigation, not just of what happened in the final seconds, but of the truck’s visibility, the driver’s decision-making and the safety practices of their employer. Without that deeper look, people are left guessing, and the law shouldn’t be based on guesswork.