Richmond, VA — January 6, 2026, Donald Jaciuk was killed in a pedestrian versus dump truck accident sometime in the afternoon along West Leigh Street.

According to authorities, 64-year-old Donald Jaciuk was crossing West Leigh Street in a crosswalk at the North Harrison Street intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a dump truck attempted a left turn from Harrison onto Leigh at an unsafe time, failing to yield the right-of-way. The pedestrian was struck by the truck as a result.

Jaciuk reportedly suffered critical injuries due to the collision; he was transported to a local medical facility by EMS in order to receive immediate treatment. However, he was ultimately unable to overcome the severity of his injuries, having there been declared deceased.

Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a pedestrian is killed while crossing in a marked crosswalk, one question takes priority over all others: Why didn’t the driver yield? That’s not a gray area of the law—when someone is in a crosswalk, especially during a protected crossing, the burden is on approaching drivers to wait.

In this case, authorities suggest the dump truck was turning left and failed to yield. If that holds up under investigation, it signals a serious lapse in judgment—and potentially a violation of traffic laws and commercial driving standards.

There are several critical points investigators will need to examine:

• Line of sight at the intersection: Was the driver’s view of the crosswalk clear? Were there visual obstructions, or was the pedestrian plainly visible?
• Vehicle speed and timing: Did the truck accelerate into the turn, or was the driver attempting a rolling turn without coming to a full stop?
• Driver distraction or fatigue: Was the operator looking at a screen, talking on a phone, or otherwise not paying attention to the roadway? Cell phone records and in-cab cameras can shed light on this.
• Company safety protocols and driver history: Had the driver been involved in prior close calls or complaints? Was this someone with proper training to operate a heavy vehicle in urban pedestrian zones?

In cases I’ve handled, left-turn pedestrian deaths involving large trucks often stem from a combination of poor visibility and poor decision-making. But that’s not an excuse. Commercial drivers are trained—and paid—to account for the limits of their visibility and to wait until it’s absolutely safe to proceed.

This isn’t about blaming someone for a moment of inattention. It’s about understanding why a truck entered an intersection while someone was lawfully crossing on foot. And if that decision wasn’t just careless, but part of a pattern—rushed routes, poor supervision, or inadequate training—then the responsibility goes beyond the driver.

Key Takeaways:

• A pedestrian was reportedly lawfully crossing when the truck made a turn and failed to yield.
• Investigators will focus on visibility, driver behavior, and timing of the turn.
• Cell phone use, in-cab distractions, or fatigue could be contributing factors.
• The driver's training, prior record, and company oversight will all come under scrutiny.
• Determining accountability requires a full review of what the driver could see, what they chose to do, and whether the company set them up to succeed—or fail.