Wabasha County, MN — August 26, 2025, One person was killed following an 18-wheeler accident that occurred Tuesday on Highway 42.

According to reports, an 18-wheeler operated by Craig Goring was traveling on Highway 42 in the northbound lanes when it lost control for unknown reasons and left the roadway where it rolled.

When first responders arrived on the scene they found Goring fatally injured and pronounced him deceased, and officials reportedly found that the semi's airbags did not deploy. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and this remains an ongoing investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

The reports confirm that the 18-wheeler left the roadway and rolled, but they don’t yet explain the most important part: why the truck lost control in the first place. That unanswered question is central to the investigation. Was the truck traveling too fast for the curve or road conditions? Did the driver suffer a medical event or become distracted? Or did a mechanical failure—such as brakes, steering, or a tire blowout—set this chain of events in motion?

Another detail worth noting is that officials found the truck’s airbags did not deploy. That raises two important questions: were the airbags defective, or are they not designed to deploy in certain types of rollover crashes? A post-crash inspection of the safety systems will be critical to determine whether this was a malfunction or simply the limits of the technology.

To get to the truth, investigators will need to review the truck’s engine control module (“black box”) to see its speed, throttle, braking, and steering inputs just before the crash. If the truck had in-cab cameras, those may reveal whether the driver was reacting to something on the roadway or if control was lost more gradually. Cargo securement should also be checked, since a sudden load shift can tip a truck during an emergency maneuver.

Key Takeaways:

• The reports don’t yet explain why the truck lost control, which is the key question in this crash.
• The failure of the airbags to deploy raises concerns about whether the safety system functioned properly.
• Black box data, in-cab video, and a mechanical inspection are essential to reconstruct what happened.
• Cargo securement and company practices should also be reviewed as part of a complete investigation.