Elmore County, ID — June 16, 2025, Three people were killed following a car accident that occurred at around 2:39 P.M. on Old Oregon Trail Rd.

According to reports, a Ford Focus with three occupants was traveling on Old Oregon Trail Road when it lost control as it approached a curve and crashed, ejecting all occupants in the process.

When first responders arrived on the scene they found that everyone in the vehicle had sustained fatal injuries and they were pronounced deceased. At this time the identities of the occupants have not been released, and the crash investigation remains ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a vehicle loses control approaching a curve and all occupants are ejected and killed, the seriousness of the crash speaks for itself. But what’s less visible—and far more important—is whether the factors behind it have been fully explored. That kind of outcome doesn’t happen without multiple points of failure, and it’s critical to examine each one.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

Losing control on a curve isn’t a simple conclusion—it’s a starting point. Investigators should have mapped the vehicle’s trajectory, examined any pre-impact marks, and reviewed whether the driver attempted to slow down or steer out of the curve. The fact that all occupants were ejected adds another layer: seatbelt usage and safety system performance must be reviewed in detail. If those questions haven’t been addressed, the crash scene may not be telling the full story.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

When a car leaves the road while navigating a turn, mechanical failure should always be on the table. A steering issue, brake malfunction, or even a tire blowout can cause a sudden and uncontrollable loss of stability. In addition, ejections raise serious concerns about whether seatbelts latched properly or failed under force. If the Ford Focus wasn’t thoroughly inspected for these kinds of failures, a key contributing factor could remain hidden.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Today’s vehicles store essential crash-related data—speed, brake pressure, steering input, and safety system deployment. That information can provide a second-by-second account of what happened just before the crash, and whether the car responded correctly. In a crash this severe, that data is often the only objective way to understand whether this was a case of driver error, a mechanical failure, or something else entirely.

When every occupant of a vehicle is ejected and killed, the question isn’t just what happened on the outside—it’s what failed inside the vehicle, in the systems meant to protect them. The investigation has to go beyond the curve.

Key Takeaways:

• Fatal rollovers with multiple ejections demand full crash reconstruction and review of safety system performance.
• Mechanical defects—including steering, braking, or restraint failures—must be thoroughly ruled out.
• Vehicle data offers critical insights into speed, driver input, and system behavior before the crash.