Natchitoches County, LA — February 12, 2206, Dejaun Dickerson was killed in a truck accident at about 1:40 p.m. on Interstate 49 near Natchitoches.

Authorities said a 2025 Freightliner semi-truck was stopped on the shoulder as its driver worked to change a tire near mile marker 140 when the truck was stuck by another semi-truck, a 2023 Freightliner.

The driver of the stopped truck, 25-year-old Michigan resident Dejuan D. Dickerson, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to the report.

The other driver suffered minor injuries, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a crash like this, the first questions that come to mind are simple: How does a moving semi-truck hit another semi that’s stopped on the shoulder? Was the shoulder wide enough? Was there warning? And most importantly, could this have been prevented?

According to reports, one 18-wheeler was stopped on the shoulder while the driver was changing a tire. A second semi then struck it. That basic outline leaves a lot unanswered.

It’s not clear how long the first truck had been on the shoulder. We don’t yet know whether its hazard lights were activated or whether reflective triangles were placed behind the trailer as required under federal safety rules. Commercial drivers are trained that if they stop on the shoulder of an interstate, especially for something like a tire issue, they must deploy warning devices within a specific timeframe. Whether that happened here is a critical question.

On the other side of this crash, we don’t know why the moving truck drifted or moved onto the shoulder. Was the driver distracted? Fatigued? Reaching for something in the cab? Did the truck experience a mechanical issue? These aren’t guesses; they’re questions that can be answered with evidence.

Modern Freightliner trucks typically contain engine control modules (ECMs), often called “black boxes.” That data can show speed, braking, throttle position and sometimes steering input in the moments before impact. If the moving truck never braked, that tells one story. If it braked hard at the last second, that tells another.

There may also be dash cam or inward-facing camera footage. Many fleets now use them. That footage can reveal whether the driver was looking at the road or looking at a phone. Cell phone records can confirm whether the driver was on a call or using data at the time of the crash. Those records don’t rely on memory; they rely on timestamps.

Another issue people often overlook is lane position. Interstate shoulders are designed as recovery space. Commercial drivers are trained to maintain their lane and avoid drifting. If a truck leaves its lane and travels onto the shoulder far enough to strike a parked vehicle, investigators need to determine why that happened. Was the roadway straight or curved? Was traffic heavy? Were there prior complaints about that stretch of road? The report doesn’t say.

There’s also the question of the trucking companies involved. What were their hiring standards? What is the driving history of the operator of the moving truck? Had there been prior preventable crashes? Prior violations for distraction or hours-of-service issues? A proper investigation doesn’t stop at the driver; it examines whether company policies played a role.

I’ve handled cases where the surface explanation seemed obvious — “one truck hit another” — but once we pulled ECM data, inspection records and driver logs, the real cause became much clearer. Sometimes the failure is in the cab. Sometimes it starts long before the truck ever leaves the yard.

Right now, the public has only a basic outline. Without the underlying data, no one can fairly assign responsibility. The truth will come from objective evidence, not assumptions.

Key Takeaways

• A truck striking a semi stopped on the shoulder raises serious questions about distraction, fatigue or lane control.
• It’s not yet clear whether proper warning devices were deployed by the stopped truck.
• ECM data, dash cam footage and cell phone records can objectively show what happened in the seconds before impact.
• A full investigation must examine both drivers and the safety practices of their companies before responsibility can be determined.