San Saba County, TX — October 23, 2024, Hilario Gonzales Salazar was killed as the result of an 18-wheeler accident at around 9:17 p.m. along Highway 16.

According to initial details about the crash, it happened a few miles south of San Saba along Highway 16.

Investigators said that 75-year-old Hilario Gonzales Salazar was in a Freightliner tractor-trailer combo going northbound on TX-16. For reasons unconfirmed right now, the tractor-trailer lost control, resulting in the truck overturning along the highway.

Due to the crash, Gonzales Salazar was killed. There did not seem to be anyone else involved in the accident. Authorities mentioned that there may have been issues with the truck's brakes, but this has yet to be verified publicly.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

It's obviously concerning to hear authorities suggest this may have been due to issues with the truck's brakes, though that brings up a significant concern: what steps did authorities take to look into that possible mechanical issue?

To be rather blunt, I've never trusted authorities to verify something as intricate and complex as a mechanical issue. They may get the ball rolling, but at the end of the day, that's the sort of thing that needs to be examined by a professional accident reconstructionists who has access to a whole lab's worth of equipment to work with.

Brake failure can be sudden and unavoidable due to something damaging the vehicle. It could be the victim's employer neglects to maintain their fleet, and they force their drivers to operate dangerous trucks in states of disrepair. Or, it could be that this issue was inevitable due to a defect from the manufacturer. Simply put, it takes a lot of effort and care to distinguish between those possibilities.

Maybe authorities here took proper steps to handle this crash properly. However, based on my experience, that's never something I would take for granted. Every incident involving mechanical issues I've dealt with fared better in the hands of independent investigators. I see no reason right now why this crash would be an exception to that.