Columbus, OH — June 30, 2025, Cathy Hewett was killed and another person was injured in a truck accident at about 12:40 p.m. on Georgesville Road.

Authorities said a 2003 Lincoln Town Car was turning left onto Automall Drive when it was hit by a southbound 2020 Freightliner Cascadia semi-truck.

The driver and a passenger in the Lincoln were hospitalized with critical injuries, according to authorities. Passenger Cathy Hewett, 75, died there.

The truck driver drove himself to the hospital to get checked out after the crash, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time.

Commentary

When people read that a woman was killed after a semi-truck hit her car during a left turn, their first reaction is often to assume someone must have run a red light or failed to yield. But from a legal standpoint, the real issue isn’t what people assume happened; it’s what the evidence can actually prove.

The early reports say a Lincoln Town Car was turning left onto Automall Drive when a southbound Freightliner hit it. What’s missing is a clear explanation of why the crash happened. Was the Lincoln turning on a green arrow or a flashing yellow? Was the truck speeding or distracted? Depending on who had the right of way, different parties might bear responsibility, but so far, none of that has been made clear.

And even if the Lincoln turned in front of the truck, we’d still need to ask: Could the truck driver have done anything to avoid the crash? Was he paying attention? Was he following too closely behind another vehicle or speeding through an intersection? We don’t yet know.

The fact that the truck driver reportedly drove himself to the hospital suggests he was alert and ambulatory after the crash, but it doesn’t tell us anything about how or why it happened. That’s where a real investigation comes in. Phone records could show whether the driver was on a call or texting. The truck’s engine control module could provide hard data on speed, braking, and throttle. In-cab camera footage, if it exists, might show where the driver's eyes were in the seconds leading up to impact.

Beyond the driver, there's another layer of accountability that often gets overlooked: the trucking company. How was this driver vetted? What kind of safety training did he receive? Was he under pressure to meet a tight delivery schedule? I’ve handled cases where companies hired drivers who were clearly unfit for the job, people who had been fired multiple times for poor driving, only to be given the keys to another 80,000-pound vehicle.

Until those questions are answered, we’re left with too many unknowns. And those aren’t just legal details; they’re the difference between an unavoidable crash and a preventable one.

Key Takeaways:

• Reports don't yet clarify who had the right of way or whether either driver violated traffic laws.
• Critical evidence like phone records, dash cam footage and ECM data can determine if the truck driver was distracted or speeding.
• The truck driver's alert condition after the crash doesn’t explain what led up to it.
• The trucking company’s hiring and training practices may also need scrutiny.
• A full investigation is needed to ensure that all responsible parties, not just the obvious ones, are held accountable.