Colorado County, TX — December 16, 2024, three people were injured in a car accident at about 9:10 p.m. on westbound Interstate 10.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2017 Honda Accord was disabled on the highway near Eagle Creek Road when it was hit by a 2013 Buick Lacrosse, knocking it into the median barrier.

Both drivers, a 20-year-old Alamo man in the Honda and a 47-year-old man from Queens, NY in the Buick, and a 45-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Buick suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities. Their names have not been made public at this time.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a collision involves a disabled vehicle struck on a high-speed roadway like Interstate 10, the circumstances are often far more complex than they first appear. To properly understand a crash like this one, we must begin with the same three critical questions: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect contributed? And has all the electronic data from the vehicles involved been collected?

A crash involving a stationary or disabled vehicle on a highway always raises serious concerns about visibility, response time and the chain of events that led up to the impact. A thorough investigation should determine whether the Honda Accord was disabled due to a mechanical issue or if it had come to a stop for some other reason. Just as important is whether the vehicle had its hazard lights on, whether it was partially or fully obstructing the lane and whether the driver attempted to move the vehicle off the roadway. For the Buick driver, investigators must assess whether there was sufficient time and distance to react and avoid the collision. These determinations require accident reconstruction, analysis of the crash scene, lighting conditions and interviews with witnesses, steps that may not be taken unless someone insists on them.

The second question, whether a vehicle defect contributed, is especially critical given that both vehicles are at least seven years old. If the Honda Accord was stopped in a live lane due to a sudden mechanical failure — such as engine stall, brake failure or electrical malfunction — that could fundamentally alter the understanding of what caused the crash. On the Buick’s side, if there was a failure in the lighting system, brakes or forward collision warning technology, that could explain why the driver was unable to avoid the disabled vehicle. These are not theoretical possibilities: they’re real issues that only come to light when the vehicles are preserved and inspected thoroughly. Unfortunately, if either vehicle is repaired or disposed of before that happens, the chance to identify a defect may be lost for good.

The third element, electronic data, can often tell the story that physical evidence alone cannot. Both the Honda Accord and Buick Lacrosse are equipped with engine control modules that can record data such as speed, throttle position, braking input and steering actions leading up to the crash. That information could clarify how long the Accord had been stopped, how the Buick driver responded and whether any safety systems were triggered. Combined with potential surveillance footage, dashcam recordings or cell phone data, this digital evidence can provide a much clearer picture of how events unfolded and what role human, mechanical or environmental factors played.

Crashes like this one, involving multiple serious injuries and a complex chain of events, demand more than a cursory explanation. The community owes it to those involved to go beyond first impressions and ask the hard questions — about mechanical integrity, investigative thoroughness and digital records — before vital information is lost. That’s the only way to reach a full understanding of what happened.