Whitewater, WI — September 8, 2025, two people were injured in a dump truck accident at about 5 p.m. on U.S. Route 12/Iron Brigade Memorial Highway.

Authorities said a 1959 Ford Ranchero crashed into a Peterbilt dump truck that was turning left onto County Highway P.

Both people in the Ranchero were injured in the crash, according to authorities. The passenger, a 56-year-old woman, was flown to a nearby hospital, while the 61-year-old man driving the classic car was transported by ambulance. There names have not been made public yet.

The dump truck driver was released after being treated at the scene of the crash, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a crash involving a dump truck and a classic car, they’re likely to ask the obvious questions: How did this happen, and who’s at fault? From the initial reports, we know the dump truck was turning left onto County Highway P, and the Ford Ranchero crashed into it, but we don’t yet know why.

That missing piece matters. Depending on whether the dump truck had already completed most of its turn or had just begun, the legal questions take very different shapes. If the dump truck turned across the Ranchero’s path when it wasn’t safe, that raises concerns about judgment and timing on the driver’s part. On the other hand, if the dump truck was nearly through the turn and the Ranchero struck it broadside, then we’d want to understand what the Ranchero’s driver saw, or didn’t see, before the crash.

What’s also not clear is whether speed, visibility or driver distraction played any role. Was the classic car going faster than expected? Was the dump truck clearly marked or moving slowly enough to raise a hazard? We can’t know until someone pulls camera footage, dash cam data (if any) or even traffic light sequences if applicable. In rural intersections like this, it’s also worth examining whether line-of-sight or roadway design made it hard for either driver to react in time.

This is where hard evidence becomes crucial. The dump truck may be equipped with an engine control module (ECM) or similar data recorder that shows speed, braking and steering inputs in the seconds before impact. It could also reveal whether the truck had been stopped before turning or made a continuous left. Likewise, any phone records or in-cab camera footage from either vehicle could help clarify what both drivers were doing in those critical moments.

From my experience litigating similar truck-related crashes, one thing I’ve learned is that appearances can be deceiving. It’s easy to assume the larger vehicle is always at fault, but I’ve handled cases where a commercial driver did everything right and still got blamed, until the evidence told a different story. I’ve also seen the reverse: cases where a company’s poor training or rushed schedules led drivers to make unsafe moves that ended in disaster.

None of that gets sorted out without a proper investigation. And right now, too many questions are left unanswered.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s unclear from current reports whether the dump truck or the Ranchero had the right-of-way at the time of the crash.
• The position of the dump truck during the turn, and whether it was already in the intersection, could be key to determining fault.
• Evidence like ECM data, dash cams or phone records may reveal critical details about how and why the collision happened.
• Both driver behavior and vehicle timing need to be investigated before assigning responsibility.
• A thorough investigation is the only way to ensure the right party is held accountable.