Clay County, MO — September 21, 2025, One person was injured following a car accident that occurred at around 3:40 A.M. on Interstate 35.

According to reports, a Honda Accord operated by a 55-year-old man was traveling northbound on Interstate 35 near Armour Road, when it struck a 35-year-old male pedestrian that was walking in the lane of traffic.

When first responders arrived on the scene they found the pedestrian seriously injured and transported them to the hospital for treatment. The identity of the pedestrian has not been released, and officials have not released any updates on the status of the investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a pedestrian is struck on an interstate, the circumstances immediately raise difficult questions. High-speed roads are not places where anyone expects to encounter someone on foot, and when that happens, the investigation has to be handled with precision.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
In a case like this, it’s not enough to simply record that a pedestrian was in the roadway. Investigators should reconstruct the driver’s line of sight, review the Accord’s path, and determine whether there were evasive maneuvers before impact. Was the pedestrian visible long enough for the driver to react? Was the Accord’s movement consistent with an attempt to avoid? These are the kinds of questions that separate assumptions from facts.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
Even when a pedestrian is in the roadway, the condition of the vehicle matters. If the Honda Accord had a brake failure, steering issue, or headlight malfunction, the driver may not have had a fair chance to avoid the collision. A thorough inspection of the car should be part of the investigation to rule out the possibility that mechanical issues played a role.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Modern vehicles like the Accord typically store crash-related data, including speed, braking, and steering inputs just before impact. Phones, dash cameras, or traffic cameras may also provide critical insight into the seconds leading up to the collision. If that digital evidence isn’t secured promptly, the opportunity to establish a clear sequence of events could be lost.

Every collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian leaves behind tough questions. Whether the focus is on driver action, pedestrian movement, or vehicle performance, the truth depends on whether investigators follow the evidence all the way through.

Takeaways:

• It’s unclear whether investigators reconstructed the driver’s response before impact.
• A mechanical or lighting issue in the Accord could have influenced the outcome.
• Vehicle data, phones, and cameras may hold critical details if reviewed.