Midland County, TX — February 11, 2024, Jesus Mejia Lerma and Mario Govea Jr. were killed while Braulio Caldarella Lerma and two others were injured in a single-car-accident at 4:45 a.m. along S.H. 158.

According to authorities, five people were traveling in an eastbound Ram 2500 pickup truck along State Highway 158, Johnson's Draw, in the vicinity between Farm to Market 1379 and State Highway 137 when the accident took place.

The weather and road conditions in the area at the time were reported to have been cloudy and wet. Officials indicate that the pickup truck may have been traveling at speeds deemed unsafe when road conditions are taken into account. It reportedly failed to safely navigate a curve in the roadway, veering off of the right side of the road where it apparently went into a side skid before overturning. It rolled an unknown number of times, reports state, before coming to a stop resting on its left side.

28-year-old Jesus Mejia Lerma and 21-year-old Mario Govea Jr. incurred fatal injuries as a result of the wreck. 36-year old Braulio Caldarella Lerma, sustained suspected severe injuries, a 35-year-old male passenger suffered apparently moderate injuries, and a 45-year-old male passenger had minor injuries as a result of the accident. All off the injured victims were transported to local medical facilities by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment.

Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a vehicle overturns on a wet highway, killing two and injuring three others, it's easy to attribute the crash to poor road conditions or driver error. But in my experience, especially with incidents like this one on State Highway 158 in Midland County, the most important questions often go unasked. To fully understand what caused this devastating crash—and whether anything could have been done to prevent it—there are three critical questions that should be asked.

First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash site and roadway conditions at the time? The report notes the weather was cloudy and the road was wet, but it’s crucial to determine whether the curve was properly banked and clearly marked, and whether warning signs were in place to alert drivers to reduce speed. Accidents on rural highways often occur at curves that don’t provide adequate visual cues or that challenge vehicle stability at highway speeds. If investigators didn’t assess the geometry of the curve and signage placement, we may not know whether the road itself played a role.

Second, has anyone considered whether a mechanical issue in the Ram 2500 contributed to the loss of control? A rollover crash that begins with a side skid could be the result of tire failure, suspension problems, or brake imbalance—especially in a heavily loaded pickup truck. Mechanical issues of this kind are difficult to detect unless a forensic inspection is conducted shortly after the crash. If the vehicle is quickly scrapped or repaired, opportunities to identify a contributing defect are lost. That’s particularly troubling in single-vehicle crashes, where attention often stops at the driver.

Lastly, has all of the available electronic data from the vehicle been preserved and reviewed? A modern pickup truck like the Ram 2500 likely contains an event data recorder that captures key metrics in the moments before the crash—vehicle speed, brake application, steering input, and throttle position. These details can help clarify whether the driver attempted to adjust for the curve, whether the vehicle responded as expected, or whether something went wrong mechanically. In cases where passengers are killed and others seriously hurt, this kind of data can be vital in explaining how the crash unfolded.

When a crash takes lives and leaves others badly injured, those affected deserve more than assumptions about weather or speed. Asking these questions is the least that can be done to ensure that those affected by this crash get the clarity and closure they deserve.