Canton, TX — June 25, 2025, Daniel Candelaria was injured in a car accident at about 4 a.m. on eastbound Interstate 20.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2023 Kia Soul and a 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe collided near mile marker 526, causing the smaller vehicle to overturn.

Kia driver Daniel Candelaria, 30, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

The Chevrolet driver suffered minor injuries, the report states, while a passenger was listed as possibly injured.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

In the early morning stillness, when traffic is light and the road stretches out quiet, a sudden crash can be all the more jarring. At that hour, few are around to witness what happens or to help piece together the moments leading up to impact. That’s why it’s so important to ask the right questions early, before the evidence fades or stories get tangled.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? At this hour, crash scenes often see a scaled-down response, especially in rural counties. But when a vehicle flips over and someone suffers serious injuries, the situation calls for more than just photos and a quick written summary. A proper investigation would involve laser-mapping the scene, examining yaw marks or debris paths and reconstructing how the vehicles came together. Was driver fatigue a factor? Did either vehicle drift between lanes? These are questions that can’t be answered by simply glancing at damage or interviewing shaken drivers. Unfortunately, not every agency is equally equipped, or trained, to dig that deep.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? When a relatively new vehicle like a 2023 model ends up on its roof, mechanical failure shouldn't be ruled out too quickly. Braking systems, electronic stability controls or even a software glitch could shift a car’s behavior in unexpected ways. The same goes for older vehicles, like the other one involved. Aging components, from tires to suspension parts, are all worth a closer look. The challenge is that unless someone specifically orders a mechanical inspection, these potential issues might never come to light.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Modern cars carry their own timeline of what happened, if someone thinks to download it. Both vehicles may have stored critical pre-crash data: speed, braking, steering inputs, even seatbelt usage. Paired with dash cameras, traffic cameras or GPS logs, that information could tell a much clearer story than anyone’s memory. Without it, key moments before the crash may be left up to speculation.

It’s easy to chalk up a crash to bad timing or simple mistakes, but that often leaves real causes untouched. Asking deeper questions doesn’t just help one case. It sharpens the system for the next time.

Key Takeaways:

• Not every crash gets the detailed investigation it deserves, especially early-morning ones.
• A car flipping over should raise questions about both new and old mechanical systems.
• Vehicle and traffic data can be the difference between guessing and knowing what happened.