Ector County, TX — January 5, 2026, Coletin Wetmore was injured in a truck accident at about 12:30 p.m. on State Highway Loop 338.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a northbound 2025 Toyota Corolla was stopped on Cities Services Road when it was hit by an eastbound 2024 Freightliner semi-truck.

Toyota driver Coletin Wetmore, 25, was seriously injured in the crash south of Odessa, according to the report.

The truck driver was not injured, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When most people hear about a crash involving a semi-truck and a smaller vehicle, especially when the smaller car was reportedly stopped, the first question they tend to ask is the right one: How does something like this happen? The early reports here raise that exact concern.

According to those reports, a Toyota Corolla was stopped on Cities Services Road when it was hit by an eastbound Freightliner semi traveling on Loop 338. That alone should prompt serious questions. If the car was stopped and the truck was moving, then why didn’t the truck stop in time? Or more to the point: What kept the truck driver from avoiding the collision altogether?

Right now, there’s a lot we don’t know. Was the truck driver distracted? Was he speeding or simply not paying attention? Did something obstruct his view, or was there a mechanical failure? The report doesn’t say.

When I investigate these kinds of incidents, I don’t stop at the police report. I look for the electronic data most modern trucks carry; things like dash cam footage, GPS data and what’s known as engine control module or “black box” information. That kind of evidence can tell us exactly how fast the truck was going, whether the brakes were applied and how the driver responded (or didn’t) in the moments leading up to the crash.

I also want to know whether the truck was equipped with an in-cab camera. That’s a straightforward way to determine if the driver was distracted: texting, dozing off or even reaching for something in the cab. And the cell phone records can show whether the driver was on a call or using data at the time.

Beyond that, there’s another level of responsibility that people often overlook: the trucking company. Was this driver properly screened and trained? Were they overworked or under pressure to meet a delivery deadline? I’ve handled cases where the trucking company hired a driver with a history of job firings and minimal road testing, and then acted shocked when that same driver caused a preventable crash. If a company makes poor hiring decisions or fails to supervise its drivers, that’s not just bad business; it can be a factor in serious injuries like the ones reported here.

Until investigators dig into all that evidence, it’s too soon to assign blame. But if history is any guide, the truth won’t come from surface-level reports. It’ll come from digging deep into records, data and company practices to see where things broke down.

Key Takeaways:

• If the car was stopped, the key question is why the truck didn't avoid it.
• Critical evidence includes ECM data, dash cam footage and cell phone records.
• In-cab cameras and driver history can shed light on potential distraction or inattention.
• Trucking company hiring and oversight practices may also be a factor.
• Accountability depends on thorough investigation, not early assumptions.