Henry County, MO — April 22, 2025, One person was injured following a car accident that occurred at around 6:05 A.M. on MO 7.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left one person injured during the morning hours of April 22nd. According to official reports, a Ford F-350 was traveling on Missouri 7 in the westbound lanes near Route C, when it began to turn without yielding and was struck by an eastbound GMC Terrain.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I read about a crash like this, where a vehicle turns across traffic and causes a serious collision, the first thing that comes to mind is whether we’re getting the full picture. It’s easy to assume we understand what happened just because the basic facts are laid out. But from my perspective, truly understanding how and why a crash happened means asking three key questions: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? And has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Starting with the first question—did authorities investigate this crash as thoroughly as they could? This isn’t a knock on the professionalism of law enforcement; it’s just a recognition that crash investigations vary widely in depth depending on the resources and training available. Not every department has the ability to conduct full-scale accident reconstruction or dig deep into witness interviews, especially when balancing many competing priorities. If no one is assigned to explore those critical details, important aspects of how the crash occurred may go unanswered.

The second question—was a vehicle defect considered? More often than not, this piece of the puzzle is left out. People assume that if a crash involves a clear act, like a vehicle turning without yielding, that the explanation ends there. But what if the turn signal didn’t function properly? What if there was a steering failure or a brake issue that led to the driver’s actions? Vehicle defects are rarely obvious without a forensic examination, and they’re often missed entirely if the vehicle is repaired or scrapped before an expert can take a look.

Finally, has all the electronic data been preserved and examined? Modern vehicles are full of valuable information that can help us understand a crash in far more detail than a visual inspection alone. The engine control module can show speed, braking, and steering inputs just before the collision. Cell phone data might reveal whether the driver was distracted. And nearby surveillance cameras can capture moments that might otherwise be lost. But that data isn’t saved indefinitely—if steps aren’t taken quickly to secure it, it may disappear.

At the end of the day, determining what caused a crash like this means digging deeper than initial reports. It’s not enough to say one vehicle didn’t yield. We owe it to the injured person—and to the community as a whole—to make sure every relevant question gets answered. Because when those answers are missing, the risk of similar crashes happening again only increases.