Bowie County, TX — June 15, 2024, Clayton McDaniel and two others were injured in a car accident just after 4:30 a.m. along U.S. Highway 59.

According to authorities, 24-year-old Clayton McDaniel and a 22-year-old woman were traveling in a southbound red Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on U.S. 59 at the F.M. 2148 intersection when the accident took place.

The intersection is controlled by a traffic signal. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, an eastbound Silverado pickup truck occupied by a 30-year-old man ran the red light, entering the intersection at an apparently unsafe time. A collision consequently occurred between the front-end of the red pickup truck and the front-left quarter of the silver pickup.

McDaniel and the woman who had been a passenger in the red Silverado reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. They were both transported to area area medical facilities by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. The man from the silver Silverado suffered minor injuries, as well, according to reports.

Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When someone runs a red light and causes a serious crash, the first assumption is often carelessness. But whether the failure to stop was a momentary lapse or something deeper requires a closer look—starting with what the vehicles were doing just before impact.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

Intersections with traffic signals demand a precise reconstruction of how the vehicles moved through them. It’s important to establish which direction each vehicle was traveling, when the lights changed, and whether there was time to react. A proper investigation would include signal timing data, impact analysis, and physical evidence like skid marks or debris fields. Without that groundwork, it’s hard to determine whether this was a straightforward violation or a more complicated failure to yield.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

When a driver doesn’t stop for a red light, it’s worth asking whether the vehicle responded the way it was supposed to. Brake failure, steering issues, or throttle malfunctions could all play a role—particularly in heavier vehicles like pickup trucks. If the Silverado’s systems weren’t inspected, there’s no way to know whether the truck itself contributed to the crash.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Event data recorders from both vehicles may hold key information about speed, braking force, and steering input. That data can confirm whether the driver made any effort to stop or swerve, or if the truck continued through the light without input. Traffic or security cameras in the area may have also captured the moment of impact or the signal phase. Without that digital evidence, major questions could remain unanswered.

Not every red-light crash is just a matter of driver error. Without examining the evidence that explains how the failure occurred, the story remains incomplete.

Takeaways:

• Proper intersection crash investigations rely on clear signal timing and movement analysis.
• Vehicle systems should be examined for signs of mechanical failure.
• Crash data and surveillance footage can reveal key driver actions before impact.