Cedar County, NE — April 17, 2025, Charles Potosnyak was killed in a truck accident at about 9 p.m. on State Highway 59.

Authorities said a 2004 Buick Century was turning left from State Highway 15 north of Laurel when it was hit by an eastbound Peterbilt semi-truck.

Buick driver Charles Potosnyak, 70, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Cedar County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes involving left turns often seem simple at first glance: one vehicle turns, another continues straight and a collision happens in the middle. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in three decades of handling commercial vehicle cases, it’s that these kinds of crashes are rarely as straightforward as they appear.

In this case, a passenger vehicle was making a left turn when it was hit by a semi-truck traveling on a highway. That fact alone doesn't tell us nearly enough to determine who was at fault. The law doesn’t just assign blame based on who turned and who didn’t. It asks whether both drivers acted reasonably and lawfully based on what they could see, what they knew, and how they responded.

For starters, investigators need to establish whether the person making the turn had a clear and safe opportunity to do so. That depends on visibility. Was it dark? Were the roads well-lit? Were there any visual obstructions near the intersection? Was the truck using its headlights properly? That’s all critical, especially when a crash happens at night on a rural highway.

Just as important is figuring out how fast the semi-truck was going at the time of the crash. Even if the truck had the right-of-way, that right doesn't excuse speeding. A fully loaded semi can take hundreds of feet to stop, and if it was going over the posted limit — or even just too fast for the conditions — that could have been a factor in the collision. The truck’s engine control module (ECM) should contain that data. If it’s available, it needs to be part of the investigation.

Another overlooked element in many of these cases is driver attentiveness. Was the truck driver alert and watching for turning vehicles? Did they brake or swerve before impact? Was there dashcam video that shows what happened in the seconds leading up to the crash? These are all questions that can only be answered through a thorough review of the truck’s systems and any potential eyewitness accounts.

I raise these points because far too often, people assume that a left-turning driver is automatically to blame. But under the law, that’s not a given. If the turning driver was doing everything right, and the truck was speeding, distracted, or otherwise careless, then the picture changes entirely.

At the end of the day, a man lost his life. The only way to make sure the right person — or people — are held accountable is to go beyond the surface and get to the truth. That takes more than just filling out a report. It takes a real investigation.