Ravenwood, MO — January 29, 2025, Two people were killed and two were injured in a car accident that occurred at around 3:50 P.M. on US 136.

An investigation is underway following a car accident that left two people dead and during the afternoon hours of January 29th. According to official reports, a Acura RDX was travelling on Route E in the southbound lanes, when for unknown reasons the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign for US 136 as a Cadillac DTS was traveling eastbound on US 136. The Acura struck the side of the Cadillac, causing it to strike a Chevy Silverado that was stopped at the intersection causing severe damage.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they found that the driver of the Cadillac had sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased, while the Acura driver was transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries where they were later succumbed. At this time there has been no further information released from the accident, including the identities of those involved, 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, my first thought is that I hope the families of those who lost their lives find the answers they need. While it may seem like a clear-cut case of a vehicle failing to stop at a stop sign, my experience has shown that serious collisions like this often involve contributing factors that aren’t immediately obvious. Before drawing any conclusions, it’s essential to ask three key questions to ensure a full and thorough investigation.

The first question is whether authorities conducted a comprehensive investigation. Multi-vehicle crashes, especially those involving fatalities, require detailed scene documentation, witness interviews, and a reconstruction of events. Investigators need to determine why the Acura RDX reportedly failed to stop at the stop sign before entering US 136. That includes examining whether the stop sign was clearly visible and in good condition, whether road conditions could have influenced braking or visibility, and whether there were distractions or impairments involved. It’s also important to understand how the Cadillac and Chevy Silverado were positioned at the time of impact and whether they had time or space to respond.

The second question—one that is frequently overlooked—is whether a mechanical defect played a role in the crash. If the Acura experienced a brake failure, power steering malfunction, or electronic stability control issue, that could explain why it entered the intersection without stopping. These kinds of failures are rare, but they’re often missed entirely if no one preserves the physical evidence. That doesn’t necessarily mean keeping the entire vehicle intact—but it does mean collecting the kind of forensic data that can identify or rule out mechanical failure. And it applies just as much to the Cadillac and the Silverado. Understanding how their safety systems responded—or didn’t—is an important part of the picture.

The third question is whether all available electronic data has been collected. Most vehicles on the road today—including those involved in this crash—are equipped with electronic control modules (ECMs) that log vital information in the seconds before a collision. This includes speed, brake application, throttle position, and steering input. That data can clarify not just what happened, but how each driver and vehicle responded. Additional sources like traffic cameras, dashcams, or even phone data may also offer critical insights. This kind of information is perishable—it can be lost, overwritten, or deleted if it’s not secured quickly. So even if the vehicles themselves are no longer available, the priority must be preserving the evidence they contained.

At the end of the day, answering these three questions isn’t just about reconstructing a crash—it’s about ensuring the families of those who lost their lives have access to the full truth. Crashes this serious change lives forever, and the least we can do as a community is make sure that every possible explanation is explored before drawing any conclusions.