McDuffie County, GA — April 24, 2025, One person was skilled in a car accident that occurred at around 9:41 A.M. on Ridge Road.

Officials are investigating after a car accident left one person dead on the morning of April 24th. According to official statements, Devicco Moss was evading police in his pickup truck to avoid arrest on an unrelated charge, when the vehicle ended up in the area of Ridge Road and Washington Highway where it collided with an 18-wheeler before then catching fire.

When emergency crews removed Moss from the vehicle and evaluated him, they found that he had sustained fatal injuries and he was pronounced deceased, and further details of the chase and subsequent crash are still under invetsigtaion.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash occurs under chaotic circumstances like a police pursuit, it’s even more important to take a step back and ask the three questions that should guide any serious investigation: (1) Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? (2) Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? (3) Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

First, regarding the thoroughness of the investigation, it's important to remember that crashes during a pursuit can create unique challenges. The immediate focus often shifts to law enforcement actions or the pursuit itself, but a proper crash investigation still needs to happen. Authorities must examine physical evidence at the scene, document the final positions of the vehicles, and perform a reconstruction that considers not just the high-speed circumstances but the mechanical and environmental factors as well. Given the involvement of an 18-wheeler and the severe damage caused by the fire, securing as much evidence as possible early on is critical, especially because fire damage can erase important clues.

Second, even in cases where a person is fleeing law enforcement, it’s necessary to consider whether a vehicle defect contributed to the loss of control. Brake failure, steering malfunctions, or tire blowouts could all plausibly worsen an already dangerous situation. Since the vehicle caught fire, it raises additional questions about whether a mechanical defect related to fuel systems or crashworthiness played a role. Diagnosing these issues requires careful forensic analysis, and access to what remains of the pickup truck must be preserved if any meaningful conclusions are to be drawn about potential defects.

Lastly, the collection of electronic data becomes even more important in cases like this. Modern vehicles often record critical data such as speed, braking, throttle position, and seatbelt usage in the moments leading up to a crash. Additionally, nearby businesses, traffic cameras, or even police dashcams and body cameras may have captured the moments before impact. Since fire damage can destroy onboard electronic data, recovering information quickly—if possible—is key to understanding the full picture.

Ultimately, answering these three questions—about the quality of the investigation, the role of any possible mechanical failure, and the preservation of electronic evidence—is essential to providing complete and fact-based answers. Crashes that occur under high-pressure situations still deserve a thorough and objective investigation, because the families and communities affected by them are owed a clear understanding of exactly what happened.