Salina, KS — June 25, 2025, One person was killed following an 18-wheeler accident that occurred at around 9:49 P.M. on Interstate 70.

According to reports, an 18-wheeler operated by Jagjeevan Singth was traveling on Interstate 70 in the southbound lanes, when for unknown reasons the truck left the road and struck a guardrail, over corrected, struck a second guardrail, then overturned.

When first responders arrived on the scene they found Singhth fatally injured and pronounced him deceased. No other injuries were reported, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Commentary

When an 18-wheeler strikes two guardrails and overturns, the question that has to be asked is: what caused the driver to lose control in the first place? According to reports, this incident occurred on the southbound side of Interstate 70. The truck left the roadway, hit a guardrail, overcorrected, and then struck another barrier before overturning. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene, and investigators have not yet released details about what led to the crash.

Overcorrection Often Points to a Sudden Emergency

When a commercial truck leaves the roadway and then sharply veers back, that usually suggests the driver was reacting to something unexpected—whether inside or outside the cab. Overcorrection is a known hazard in heavy vehicles because it can destabilize the trailer and shift the vehicle’s center of gravity. That’s especially true at highway speeds, where even a small steering adjustment can have outsized effects.

Was the driver trying to avoid something in the road? Did a tire blowout or brake failure cause the truck to veer? Did the driver experience a medical emergency? These are the kinds of questions investigators should be answering with black box data, in-cab video, and witness accounts.

Guardrail Collisions Can Reveal Speed and Trajectory

The truck reportedly struck two guardrails—one on the way off the road and another after attempting to correct course. That tells us this wasn't a simple lane drift. Investigators should examine the crash site for skid marks, point of initial impact, and the angle of the vehicle during each collision. That information, combined with digital speed and steering records, can help reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the overturn.

In past cases I’ve handled, guardrail impacts have revealed more than just trajectory—they’ve uncovered issues like delayed braking, improper evasive maneuvers, or even mechanical malfunctions that left the driver with limited control. Those details often change how a crash is understood, and where the legal responsibility may lie.

Was the Vehicle Roadworthy?

It’s also essential to determine whether the truck itself was in safe operating condition. Steering and suspension components are under constant stress in a commercial rig, and if any of those failed—especially during a sudden maneuver—that could explain both the initial loss of control and the inability to recover. Maintenance logs, inspection records, and the company’s service history all need to be reviewed as part of the investigation.

Key Takeaways

• The truck reportedly veered off the road, struck two guardrails, and overturned, but the cause has not yet been identified.
• Overcorrection is often a sign the driver was reacting to a sudden problem, either mechanical, environmental, or personal.
• Physical evidence at the scene, combined with ECM and dash cam data, can help reconstruct the crash and identify contributing factors.
• Guardrail impacts and an overturn suggest a high degree of instability, which may point to maintenance issues or cargo imbalance.
• A complete investigation is required to determine what went wrong and whether this crash could have been prevented.