Park County, WY — September 16, 2024, Joel Torres was killed following a semi-trailer accident at around 6:00 a.m. on U.S. Highway 14A.

According to preliminary information about the accident, it happened west of Ralston, near U.S. 310.

Investigators said that 32-year-old Joel Torres of Powell was in a vehicle going eastbound along the highway. Up ahead, it appears there was a tandem tractor-trailer making a turn from off-road onto the inside lane of eastbound U.S. Highway 14A. As it did so, Torres, crashed into the trailers. As a result, Torres was killed. Right now, there is no further information about the crash available.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When it comes to a crash like this, there needs to be a careful reconstruction of the conditions leading up to the it. At 6:00 a.m., a tractor-trailer may not be clearly visible when turning across multiple lanes of a highway, and it's possible a driver wouldn't be able to avoid a collision. That's why there needs to be clear evidence telling the story, otherwise it can leave a grieving family with doubts and concerns, and it can even leave room for a potential wrongdoer to try to avoid responsibility.

I'm reminded of a case I handled, for example, where a tractor-trailer turned across a dark highway, leading to a serious accident. The trucking company was adamant their truck was visible, that the victim was speeding, and that the victim wasn't wearing their seatbelt. Knowing their loved one was a safe driver, the victim's family wanted independent investigations. Those investigations secured evidence that ultimately proved the family right.

For one, reconstruction of the scene and the vehicles showed the victim hadn't been speeding, and that was also verified by the victim's speedometer, which froze on impact (a common detail authorities too often overlook). On top of that, numerous emergency responders testified they have to cut through the victim's seatbelt to get them out of the vehicle, so the victim obviously had their seatbelt on. And finally, an analysis of the truck involved showed the only visibility equipment it had was reflective tape, and it was so caked in dirt that it might as well have been invisible at the time of the accident.

It was only after painstakingly picking apart the trucking company's excuses that the record was set straight, and the company finally did right by the victim's loved ones. I wish that was a particularly egregious example, but that's how most of the hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases I've handled go. There has to be clear evidence to tell the victim's side of the story so there's no wiggle room for excuses or doubt. Whatever ultimately happened here, the victim's loved ones deserve to know there are no unanswered questions.