Holt County, NE — June 13, 2025, Christopher Judge was killed in a truck accident at about 9:15 p.m. on U.S. Route 20 near Atkinson.

Authorities said an eastbound semi-truck hauling a cattle trailer crashed into a pickup at the intersection with Hillcrest Drive. The impact forced both vehicles into the ditch on the north side of the road.

Pickup driver Christopher Judge, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

Truck driver Braden Haselhorst, 27, suffered minor injuries in the crash, but did not require hospitalization, authorities said.

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

Commentary

When people hear about a fatal crash involving a pickup and a cattle-hauling semi-truck, the question that immediately comes to mind is: how could this happen? Was the truck speeding? Did the pickup fail to yield? Was one of the drivers distracted? Without real answers, speculation fills the void, and speculation rarely leads to accountability.

From what’s been reported so far, it appears the semi-truck collided with a pickup at an intersection and forced both vehicles off the road. But that still leaves a major piece of the puzzle missing: who had the right of way? Depending on whether the pickup was crossing the highway or turning onto it, different rules of the road would apply, and so would different questions about fault.

And then there’s the issue of the truck driver. He reportedly had only minor injuries, but it’s not clear what he was doing at the moment of impact. Was he on the phone? Was he reaching for something in the cab? These aren't just hypotheticals. In any crash involving a commercial truck, we need to look at evidence, not assumptions, to understand what went wrong. That means pulling cell phone records, dash cam footage (if available) and the truck’s ECM, which captures data like speed, braking and throttle use in the moments leading up to the crash.

There’s also the bigger picture to consider. What kind of company hired this driver? What kind of training did he receive? It’s entirely possible that he was doing the best he could under bad conditions; maybe long hours, unclear delivery instructions or pressure to make up time. I’ve seen cases where the real fault wasn’t just with the driver, but with the company that cut corners in the name of profit. That’s not something you can determine from a crash report; it only comes out through thorough independent investigation.

We also can’t rule out that the pickup driver may have made a mistake. But again, that’s not something to assume either. Just like truckers, everyday motorists are owed a duty of care on the road, and when that duty is breached, the consequences are often devastating.

Until someone collects the facts — black box data, dash cam video, hiring records and driver logs — we're left with more questions than answers.

Key Takeaways:

• It's unclear from reports who had the right of way at the intersection or how the crash unfolded.
• Key evidence like ECM data, cell phone records, and dash cam footage will be critical to understanding what caused the crash.
• Commercial trucking companies must be investigated for potential hiring and training failures.
• Accountability depends on evidence—not assumptions—about who was at fault.
• Legal investigations help uncover systemic issues that basic crash reports may overlook.