Orange County, TX — June 6, 2024, Gary Burke and one other person were injured in a car accident at approximately 5:00 p.m. along State Highway 62.

According to authorities, 37-year-old Gary Burke was traveling in a northbound Nissan Sentra on S.H. 62 in the vicinity south of the Orangefield Road intersection when the accident took place.

Traffic in the area at the time had apparently slowed to a stop. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a northbound Ford F-150 pickup truck occupied by a 31-year-old man failed to appropriately control its speed. A rear-end collision consequently occurred between the front of the pickup and the back of the Sentra. The impact pushed the Sentra forward into the rear-end of another Ford F-150.

Burke reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. The man from the rear-ending truck suffered minor injuries, as well, according to reports.

Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Rear-end crashes in stopped or slowing traffic are often seen as open-and-shut cases. But when someone suffers serious injuries and a chain-reaction collision occurs, it raises a much more important question: did anyone really look at how this happened—or just at who was last in line?

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
When traffic is backed up and a driver fails to stop, it’s critical to determine what kind of attention investigators gave the scene. Was the impact force calculated? Did they analyze skid marks or vehicle spacing to see whether the driver had a reasonable opportunity to avoid the crash? A collision strong enough to push a vehicle into another and cause serious injury warrants more than a few photos and a diagram—but often, that’s all the report includes.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
The default explanation is usually driver inattention—but what if the pickup’s brakes weren’t functioning properly? What if a warning system failed to alert the driver in time? And for the Nissan Sentra, did anything contribute to how it absorbed or reacted to the impact—faulty seats, head restraints, or failed airbags? These kinds of mechanical and structural failures don’t show up in routine reports unless someone demands a closer inspection.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
The rear-ending truck likely had a data recorder that captured speed, brake application, and driver input. Was that retrieved? What about dashcam footage, either from the truck or nearby vehicles? Even GPS or phone data might provide insight into whether distraction played a role. When there’s a multi-vehicle collision and someone is seriously hurt, this type of digital evidence can clarify how the crash unfolded—and whether it could have been prevented.

Crashes like this often get treated like simple mistakes. But serious injuries don’t happen in simple situations—they happen when something breaks down, whether it’s attention, equipment, or response. And finding out what really broke down is the only way forward.

Key Takeaways:

• Rear-end chain-reaction crashes require full review of stopping distance and impact force.
• Brake or warning system failures in the striking vehicle must be considered.
• Vehicle data and camera footage can reveal how the crash developed second by second.