Merced County, CA — May 22, 2025, 1 person was killed and seven others were injured in a hit-and-run truck accident at about 5 a.m. on northbound Interstate 5.

Authorities said a 2001 GMC Safari van carrying farm workers was hit from behind by a semi-truck as it slowed to exit onto State Route 152. The impact forced the van through a guardrail and down an embankment, where is landed on its room on State Route 152. The truck did not stop after the collision.

One passenger died in the crash, while three others were hospitalized with serious injuries, according to authorities. Four other passengers suffered minor injuries. Their names have not been made public at this time.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Merced County crash. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary

When news breaks about a hit-and-run involving a semi-truck and a van filled with farm workers, most people instinctively ask: How does something like this even happen? And how can a truck driver simply disappear after causing that kind of chaos?

From what’s been reported so far, it appears the van was rear-ended by a semi as it slowed to exit Interstate 5, but many essential questions remain unanswered:

• Was the semi-truck driver distracted or asleep at the wheel? At 5 a.m., fatigue or inattention is a real concern. Cell phone records and in-cab camera footage, if available, could shed light on what the driver was doing at the time.
• Was the truck properly maintained? Equipment failures, such as faulty brakes or a malfunctioning collision avoidance system, could also explain a failure to stop in time.
• Did the truck have a functioning engine control module (ECM)? The ECM, often called the truck’s “black box,” could provide hard data about the vehicle’s speed, braking and acceleration in the moments leading up to the crash.
• Why didn’t the driver stop? Was this a deliberate flight from responsibility or panic? Investigators will likely look at the driver’s record and employment history for past red flags.

At this stage, we don’t know who owned the truck, who employed the driver, or even if the driver has been identified. Each of those unknowns complicates the process of finding the truth and holding the right people accountable.

This case illustrates why serious truck crashes require a comprehensive investigation, not just a surface-level review. When a driver flees the scene, that’s often just the beginning of a much deeper set of problems. In my experience, hit-and-run cases involving commercial trucks often trace back to issues with hiring, training and supervision. Sometimes the trucker wasn’t supposed to be behind the wheel in the first place.

I once litigated a case where a trucking company hired a driver who’d already been fired multiple times for unsafe driving. Their entire evaluation process was a quick spin around the block, totally inadequate for the risks of highway driving. That company’s corner-cutting played a much larger role in the crash than any single moment behind the wheel.

Depending on how this investigation plays out, we could be looking at a similar situation here.

Key Takeaways

• It’s not clear why the semi-truck failed to stop or why the driver fled the scene.
• Critical evidence like ECM data, dash cams and cell phone records could clarify the truck driver’s actions.
• Investigators need to identify the trucking company and assess their hiring and training policies.
• A full investigation must determine whether the crash resulted from individual recklessness, systemic negligence or both.
• Accountability hinges on evidence: what was recorded, preserved and properly reviewed.