Newton County, TX — October 6, 2024, one person was injured in a car accident at about 9 p.m. on State Highway 87 north of Newton.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2015 Toyota Camry was heading north when it veered off the east side of the road and overturned after going through a creek.

The driver, a 29-year-old Newton man, suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to the report. His name has not been made public at this time.

He told investigators that his dash lights lit up before the crash, indicating a possible mechanical issue, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a vehicle veers off the road, overturns, and leaves the driver seriously injured, it’s natural to look for simple explanations. But when the driver reports that warning lights appeared on the dash moments before the crash, that changes the conversation entirely. In a case like this, the investigation must be guided by three essential questions: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into whether a vehicle defect contributed? And has all the relevant electronic data from the vehicle been collected and preserved?

The fact that the driver reported dashboard warnings before losing control points directly to the possibility of a mechanical or electronic failure. A complete investigation must begin by identifying which systems were signaling a problem. Was it the power steering, brakes, transmission or stability control? Each of these systems, if compromised, could lead to the kind of loss of control described here. A standard crash report is not enough: this situation demands a full mechanical and electronic inspection of the vehicle, preferably before it is repaired or scrapped.

The second issue is whether the roadway itself played any role in the crash. At 9 p.m., lighting is limited, and rural roads like State Highway 87 often lack adequate shoulders, barriers or lighting. Was the area around the creek properly maintained? Were there guardrails to prevent a vehicle from entering a dangerous area? Environmental factors can sometimes combine with vehicle failures to create crashes that might otherwise have been avoidable. A thorough scene analysis is necessary to assess whether the road contributed to the outcome.

Finally, the importance of preserving electronic data cannot be overstated. The 2015 Toyota Camry is equipped with an engine control module that can store pre-crash information like vehicle speed, throttle input, braking effort and steering actions. It may also retain diagnostic codes that can confirm what systems were failing in the moments leading up to the crash. Collecting and analyzing this data is essential to understand not just that a mechanical issue occurred, but how it directly impacted the driver’s ability to control the vehicle.

When a serious crash involves signs of mechanical failure, it’s not enough to chalk it up to driver error or bad luck. A full investigation — into the vehicle’s condition, the roadway environment and the digital evidence — is the only way to uncover the real cause. That kind of thoroughness is essential not only for those involved but also to ensure that broader safety lessons are learned and similar crashes can be prevented in the future.