Arlington, TX — November 18, 2024, one person was injured in a car accident at about 9:30 p.m. on F.M. 157/South Cooper Street

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2012 Dodge Ram was headed north near West Pioneer Parkway when it hit a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a 27-year-old man whose name has not been made public, suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities.

The two men in the pickup were not injured.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I see a report like the one from Arlington, where a pedestrian was seriously injured after being struck by a pickup truck on South Cooper Street, I think about how vital it is to look beyond first impressions. Pedestrian crashes often come with quick assumptions — whether about visibility, right of way or distraction — but those assumptions can cloud what’s actually a complex situation. To uncover the full story, we have to ask three essential questions: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Starting with the investigation, the crash happened around 9:30 p.m., a time when lighting and visibility are often diminished. That raises important questions: Was the area well-lit? Were crosswalks or signage present and visible? Where exactly was the pedestrian when the impact occurred: on the roadway, the shoulder or attempting to cross at an intersection? Were the occupants of the Dodge Ram interviewed thoroughly? Effective pedestrian crash investigations require careful scene documentation, including measurements, photographs and potentially a reconstruction of the vehicle’s speed and stopping distance. The depth of that analysis can vary widely depending on the resources available to the investigating department. Without that level of detail, crucial factors can go unexplored.

The second question we have to consider is whether a vehicle defect might have played a role. The pickup involved — a 2012 Dodge Ram — has systems that are vital in a crash scenario, including headlights, brakes and steering. If the lighting system failed, that could have limited the driver’s ability to see the pedestrian in time. A fault in the braking system could have impacted stopping distance. Mechanical issues aren’t always obvious at the scene, and they’re especially easy to overlook in cases involving pedestrian impacts, where the assumption is often that the pedestrian’s actions were the primary factor. But unless the vehicle is preserved and examined by a qualified expert, the chance to uncover such issues may be lost.

Finally, we have to look at the electronic data. A 2012 Dodge Ram is equipped with an engine control module capable of recording vital information just before a crash: speed, throttle input, braking and other operational data. That information could be essential in determining how fast the vehicle was going, whether the driver tried to brake or if the systems responded as expected. In addition to data from the vehicle, surrounding security cameras, traffic footage or even phone data could provide important insight into how events unfolded. But all of this needs to be gathered quickly before it’s lost or overwritten.

In a crash like this, where a person was seriously hurt and little public information is available, it’s crucial to go beyond surface-level conclusions. The people involved and their families deserve a complete and accurate understanding of what happened. That only happens when we ask the right questions, preserve the key evidence, and follow the facts wherever they lead.