Lathrop, MO — April 14, 2025, One person was injured following a car accident that occurred at around 5:55 P.M. on MO 116.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left one person injured during the evening hours of April 14th. According to official reports, a 21-year-old man was traveling in a Chevy Malibu on MO 116 in the westbound lanes near Route W, when for unknown reasons the vehicle lost control and left the roadway where it struck a utility pole before overturning.

When emergency personnel arrived on the scene they found that the driver had been seriously injured and he was transported to the hospital for treatment. At this time it is unclear what caused the vehicle to lose control, and so far investigators are still piecing together all the details from the crash, however this remains an ongoing investigation, and additional information may be released by officials at a later date.

Commentary

When a vehicle leaves the roadway, strikes a utility pole, and overturns—especially with serious injuries involved—the immediate question that comes to mind is: what went wrong? In cases like this one on MO 116, where a single vehicle crashes without an apparent external cause, it’s essential to look beyond the obvious. To get closer to the truth, we must ask three foundational questions: Did the authorities conduct a thorough investigation? Has anyone looked into whether a vehicle defect may have contributed to the crash? And has all the electronic data been collected?

Starting with the investigation, a rollover crash that involves a collision with fixed infrastructure like a utility pole requires careful reconstruction. It’s not enough to simply note the end position of the vehicle. Investigators should be examining the roadway surface, any tire marks, possible obstructions, and even weather conditions at the time. Importantly, they need to consider the geometry of the road and whether the vehicle’s handling contributed to the outcome. In situations like this, the quality of the initial investigation often determines whether key questions get answered—or remain permanently unresolved.

Next, there’s the question of whether a mechanical or electronic failure may have caused or contributed to the crash. A vehicle that suddenly leaves the roadway could be responding to a loss of steering control, brake malfunction, or throttle issue—each of which could go undetected without a deliberate effort to examine the vehicle’s systems. These are not hypothetical concerns; defects in critical components have played a role in many similar incidents. Yet without someone specifically requesting a closer look, these potential causes are rarely explored, especially in single-vehicle crashes.

Finally, we need to ask whether all electronic data from the vehicle has been retrieved. The Chevy Malibu likely includes an electronic control module (ECM) capable of recording vital pre-crash information—such as vehicle speed, brake usage, throttle input, and steering activity. This data could help clarify whether the driver made any evasive maneuvers or if the vehicle itself exhibited signs of malfunction. However, this information is time-sensitive and must be extracted before it’s lost or overwritten. Additional evidence, such as cell phone data or surveillance footage from nearby properties, may also contribute to a more complete understanding of the incident.

Every serious crash leaves behind questions, but only a focused investigation will yield the answers needed to make sense of them. That includes going beyond first impressions, considering all contributing factors, and securing the digital record of what occurred. When a crash like this leaves someone seriously injured, we owe it to them to find out not just that it happened—but why. And those answers only come when we ask the right questions from the very beginning.