Dallas County, TX — July 17, 2024, John Lussmyer and Ethan Kirby were injured in a pedestrian versus car accident shortly before 12:45 p.m. on University Boulevard.

According to authorities, 45-year-old John Lussmyer and 20-year-old Ethan Kirby were on foot behind a legally parked Toyota 4Runner with a trailer in tow on the north side of University Boulevard in the vicinity west of the Roper Street intersection when the accident took place. Behind the pedestrians was an unoccupied Honda CR-V, also legally parked.

Officials indicate that, a westbound BMW SUV swerved right, colliding with the left side of the Honda. It then continued forward, its front end crashing into the two pedestrians and the back of the trailer. Both Lussmyer and Kirby reportedly sustained serious injuries as a result of the wreck. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When pedestrians are struck by a vehicle that veers off course and crashes into parked cars, it’s not enough to say the driver swerved—it’s critical to understand why. A collision like this, involving serious injuries and multiple points of impact, raises questions that need more than just a surface-level explanation.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
A vehicle crossing over to strike both parked cars and pedestrians suggests a complete breakdown in control. Investigators should have examined the full vehicle path, noting when and how the driver lost control, and whether the swerve was avoidable. The sequence of impacts—striking the parked Honda, the pedestrians, and the trailer—should be reconstructed in detail. If the crash was assumed to be a result of simple driver error without verifying those movements, critical insights may have been lost.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
Sudden veering like this raises the question of whether the BMW malfunctioned. Was there a steering or brake failure? Did a lane-keeping assist system behave erratically? Modern vehicles rely on electronic systems that can sometimes trigger unintended steering corrections or fail to detect obstacles. If the BMW wasn’t fully inspected for mechanical or sensor issues, the possibility of a defect may never have been considered.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
BMWs are equipped with detailed event data recorders capable of logging speed, braking, steering input, and system status in the moments before impact. That data could show whether the swerve was a conscious maneuver or something triggered automatically—or whether the vehicle failed to respond to driver input at all. Footage from nearby surveillance cameras, dash cams, or phones could also help clarify what led to the loss of control. Without that data, it’s hard to draw reliable conclusions.

When pedestrians are seriously injured in a crash involving a swerving SUV and multiple parked vehicles, it’s not enough to know what the car hit. What matters most is whether anyone figured out why it happened in the first place.

Takeaways:

• Swerving crashes involving pedestrians and parked vehicles demand full reconstruction and impact analysis.
• Vehicle malfunctions, especially in steering or electronic systems, should be investigated thoroughly.
• Onboard data and external footage can confirm the nature and cause of the vehicle’s movement.