Wabasha County, MN — August 26, 2025, Craig Goring was killed in a truck accident just before midnight on State Highway 42.

Authorities said a 2006 International semi-truck was headed north toward Kellogg when it veered off the road and overturned.

Driver Craig Alan Goring, 42, of North Branch, MI, died in the crash, according to authorities.

A crash report indicates the truck's airbag did not deploy.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a fatal truck crash like the one in Wabasha County, where a semi veered off the road and overturned, the first question they often ask is, “How does something like that even happen?” That’s exactly the right question, because until we understand what went wrong, there’s no way to know who, if anyone, should be held accountable.

At the moment, there are more questions than answers. We know a 2006 International truck was headed north on Highway 42 when it left the roadway and flipped. The driver died in the crash. What we don’t know is why the truck veered off the road in the first place.

Depending on the circumstances, a crash like this could point to several possible breakdowns. Was the driver awake and alert? Was he distracted, perhaps by a phone or GPS? Did a mechanical failure, like a blown tire or faulty steering, cause the truck to go off course? None of that is addressed in the early reports, which leaves a wide gap between what happened and what caused it.

It’s also worth noting that the truck’s airbag didn’t deploy. That fact by itself doesn’t prove anything, but it does raise additional concerns. Was the equipment functioning as it should have been? And if not, was that due to age, poor maintenance or a manufacturer defect?

To find out, a thorough investigation would need to gather and review several kinds of evidence. The truck’s engine control module, its “black box,” should contain data about speed, braking and steering inputs in the moments before the crash. If there were any in-cab or forward-facing cameras, those could help determine whether the driver was alert or distracted. And cell phone records may reveal if he was using a device at the time. Without these details, we're left guessing, and guessing doesn't lead to accountability.

I've worked on cases where a truck went off the road under similar circumstances, and more than once the root cause had nothing to do with the driver himself. In one case, it turned out the trucking company hadn’t maintained the steering system properly. In another, the driver was working such long hours that fatigue played a role. That’s why I always emphasize: you can’t know who’s responsible until you’ve gathered all the evidence.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear why the truck left the road and overturned; several potential causes must be investigated.
• The non-deployment of the airbag raises questions about vehicle maintenance or defects.
• Evidence such as black box data, in-cab cameras and phone records will be crucial to understanding what happened.
• Responsibility can rest not just with the driver, but also with the company that owned or maintained the truck.
• Getting to the truth requires more than speculation. It requires a detailed, evidence-driven investigation.