Colorado County, TX — December 4, 2025, Dot Lee Harper was killed in a truck accident at about 10:20 a.m. on Interstate 10 near Columbus.

A preliminary accident report indicates that an eastbound 2017 Freightliner semi-truck rear-ended a 2024 Mercedes-Benz S in a construction zone near the Colorado River Bridge, starting a chain reaction of collisions that involved five other vehicles, including two more semis and a total of four trailers.

A passenger in the Mercedes, 77-year-old Midland resident Dorothy "Dot" Lee Harper, 77, died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to the report.

The driver of the Mercedes and four other people involved in the crash suffered minor injuries, the report states. The only one who has been identified at this time is Carlos A. Ramirez, 46, who was driving a 2015 Honda Pilot.

The crash also involved a 2019 GMC Sierra, a 2026 Ford F-350 with a trailer, a 2019 Kenworth semi-truck with two trailers and another semi with a trailer, according to the report. A passenger in the Honda, the Kenworth driver and the driver of the other semi also were hurt.

The driver of the Freightliner semi-truck that allegedly caused the crash has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When folks read about a multi-vehicle crash in a construction zone, especially one that took someone’s life, they’re right to ask, How does something like this even happen? After all, construction zones usually come with lower speed limits, warning signs and narrower lanes, which should prompt drivers, especially truck drivers, to stay alert and slow down. So when a semi plows into the back of a passenger car and starts a chain-reaction crash involving six other vehicles, something clearly went wrong. The question is: what?

We’re told that a Freightliner rear-ended a Mercedes-Benz, causing a domino effect that injured several people and killed one. Authorities say the truck driver has already been charged with criminally negligent homicide. That may suggest law enforcement thinks they have a clearer picture of what happened, but we don’t. Not yet.

At this point, it’s not clear whether the truck driver was distracted, speeding, fatigued or simply not paying attention to the road ahead. Those are all possibilities, but no one can say for sure without hard evidence. That’s why a real investigation needs to dig deeper, well beyond what's in a basic crash report.

For example, does the Freightliner’s engine control module (ECM) show whether the driver ever hit the brakes? Was there dash cam footage? Did the truck have forward collision warning systems, and were they functioning properly? What about the driver’s call and text records: was he using his phone when the crash happened? These aren’t just technicalities. They're how we get to the truth.

And the scope of the investigation can’t stop at the driver. If this turns out to be a case of driver negligence, that’s one thing, but who put him behind the wheel? Was he properly trained for construction zone driving? Did the company that hired him perform any meaningful screening? I’ve handled cases where the driver's own record made it clear he should never have been on the road, but the company ignored warning signs during hiring. That’s not just a mistake; it’s a decision.

We also don’t know what role the other trucks and trailers played in the pileup. Depending on how close they were following or whether they were speeding as well, more than one driver, or employer, may bear responsibility here.

Key Takeaways:

• We don’t yet know why the Freightliner rear-ended the Mercedes, but ECM and phone records could help reveal what the driver was doing at the time.
• Criminal charges suggest law enforcement sees clear fault, but full accountability requires deeper investigation; possibly including the truck’s hiring and training history.
• Construction zones demand extra caution from truckers. If a driver failed to adjust, that’s a red flag, not just a traffic violation.
• The involvement of multiple semis and trailers means fault could extend beyond a single truck or driver.
• Independent investigations are crucial to determine who should be held responsible and why.