Hays County, TX — November 29, 2024, Jimmy Riojas was killed following a truck accident at approximately 3:30 a.m. along Interstate Highway 35.

According to authorities, 33-year-old Jimmy Riojas was traveling in a southbound Toyota Camry on I.H. 35 in the vicinity of Mill Street when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, the Toyota failed to safely maintain its lane of travel. A collision subsequently followed between the front end of the Camry and the back back right of an 18-wheeler's trailer. Riojas suffered fatal injuries over the course of the accident, reports state. It doesn't appear that anyone else was hurt. 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 authorities respond to a collision between a passenger vehicle and an 18-wheeler, it's critical that investigators look at every possible factor that contributed to the crash. Did they conduct a thorough investigation, or did they assume the circumstances were straightforward? Reports suggest that Jimmy Riojas’s vehicle veered out of its lane and collided with the back of a semi-trailer, but that doesn’t tell us why it happened. Was driver fatigue, distraction, or a medical event a factor? Could road conditions or poor visibility have played a role? A comprehensive investigation should seek to answer these questions rather than relying on assumptions.

Has anyone considered the possibility of a vehicle defect? The reports don’t mention mechanical issues, but without inspecting the Toyota, it’s impossible to rule them out. Issues like brake failure, tire blowouts, or steering malfunctions have been known to cause lane departures. If an undiagnosed defect contributed to the crash, it’s important to identify it—not just to understand this incident, but to prevent similar wrecks in the future.

Finally, has all available electronic data been preserved? Modern passenger vehicles and commercial trucks store valuable information that could clarify what happened. The Toyota may have recorded speed, braking, and steering inputs in the moments leading up to the crash. The semi-truck's event data recorder and dash cameras, if available, could provide further insight into whether it was properly lit and visible. If investigators don’t collect this data quickly, it could be lost forever, leaving key questions unanswered.

Accidents like this demand a meticulous investigation to uncover every contributing factor. By addressing these questions, investigators can provide a clearer understanding of what happened and why. A thorough investigation is the least that can be done to provide clarity and closure for those affected by this loss.