Moore County, TX — May 4, 2025, Danioma Raphael was injured in a single-car accident at about 3:15 a.m. on U.S. Route 87.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2019 Jeep Compass was heading north when it veered off the road and overturned south of Dumas.

Driver Danioma Raphael, 33, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Moore County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After a crash like this, I think most people have plenty of questions. However, some questions tend to be overlooked by crash investigators. It’s not always about who was driving or what time it happened; it’s about uncovering deeper causes that might not be obvious right away. When someone is hurt in a single-vehicle crash, especially in the middle of the night, we have to wonder if everything that should be investigated actually is.

The first question I always ask is whether the authorities took a thorough look at the crash. It's easy to assume that a vehicle just went off the road, but assumptions don’t help the people left with life-changing injuries. Did investigators document the crash scene in full detail? That includes looking at road conditions, weather, visibility and possible obstructions. If this crash happened around 3 a.m., it’s fair to ask if fatigue, lighting or roadway design played a role. Sometimes, key factors get missed when reports are rushed or resources are stretched thin, especially in rural counties.

The next thing I ask is whether anyone has looked into the possibility that a defect in the vehicle played a role. A 2019 Jeep Compass isn’t an old vehicle, but even newer models can have problems. For example, if a steering component failed or if there was an issue with the vehicle’s stability control system, that could easily lead to a sudden loss of control. Rollovers, in particular, raise concerns about how the vehicle handles under stress. Was there a tire blowout or a brake issue? These are not things that are always visible after a crash unless someone goes looking for them.

Lastly, I want to know if all the electronic data from the vehicle has been preserved. Modern cars carry a lot of useful information in their engine control modules; things like speed, braking and steering inputs in the moments before the crash. That data can offer clarity that even eyewitnesses can't provide. But this information can be lost if the vehicle is quickly towed and repaired or scrapped before anyone downloads the data. It's important to act fast, because once that information is gone, so is a critical piece of the puzzle.

Looking at this situation, it’s clear that we can’t take things at face value. Getting hurt in a single-car crash doesn’t automatically mean it was just driver error. To find out what really happened, we have to ask the right questions, and keep asking until we get the answers that matter.

Key Takeaways:

• Investigators should examine every factor, not just driver behavior, especially in overnight crashes.
• Vehicle defects, especially in rollovers, need to be ruled out through careful inspection.
• Electronic data from the car is vital and should be collected before it’s lost.