Gayville, SD — April 22, 2025, Two people were injured following a car accident that occurred at around 4:00 P.M. on Highway 50.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left two people injured during the afternoon hours of April 22nd. According to official reports, the three vehicle accident occurred in the area of 454th Avenue, though the cause of the accident has not yet been determined.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they found that two people had sustained serious injuries and they were transported to the hospital for treatment. At this time there has been no further information released from the accident, including the identity and the status of the injured motorists, however this remains an ongoing investigation and more details may be released by authorities in the future.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a multi-vehicle accident results in serious injuries and the cause remains unknown, the investigation must go beyond surface observations to uncover all contributing factors. A three-vehicle crash, such as the one reported on 454th Avenue, introduces a range of possibilities—from driver error to mechanical failure to roadway design—that must be considered thoroughly. To ensure a complete understanding of what occurred, three foundational questions must guide the inquiry: Did the authorities conduct a thorough investigation? Has anyone examined whether a vehicle defect contributed to the crash or the severity of injuries? And has all available electronic data from the involved vehicles been collected?

The first priority is a detailed scene reconstruction. Investigators need to determine how the three vehicles interacted—whether one vehicle initiated the chain of collisions, whether visibility or road design may have played a role, and whether traffic control signs or signals were present and properly followed. The positioning of the vehicles, point-of-impact evidence, and the timing of maneuvers should all be documented to piece together an accurate sequence of events. Without these details, key aspects of the crash may remain speculative.

Second, a mechanical or system failure in any of the involved vehicles must be considered. A sudden loss of braking, steering malfunction, or failure of a vehicle’s driver-assist systems could easily trigger a multi-car incident. Investigators should evaluate whether any such issues occurred in the moments leading up to the crash. Additionally, the effectiveness of occupant protection systems—such as airbags, seatbelts, and crumple zones—should be reviewed in the vehicles where serious injuries occurred to determine whether any malfunction or structural shortcoming contributed to the severity of injuries.

Lastly, electronic control modules (ECMs) from each of the vehicles may hold vital data. These systems typically store pre-crash information such as speed, throttle input, braking activity, and steering behavior. Comparing this data across vehicles can help establish which vehicle initiated the chain reaction, whether evasive actions were attempted, and whether any systems failed to operate as designed. Investigators should also collect any available surveillance footage or dashcam video that might offer additional context.

Multi-vehicle crashes can be complex and chaotic, but that complexity makes it all the more important to follow a clear investigative framework. A complete scene analysis, a technical inspection of each vehicle, and timely retrieval of electronic data are all necessary steps in identifying what happened and why. These steps help ensure that the outcome of the investigation is based on evidence—not assumptions—and that any contributing factors, whether human or mechanical, are properly addressed.