Vernon County, WI — September 28, 2025, John Sharp and a teen were injured in a truck accident at about 10:45 a.m. on State Highway 27 between Cashton and Westby.

Authorities said a southbound Freightliner semi-truck hauling a farm implement jackknifed while slowing down because two vehicles in front of it were stopped. The truck struck the utility trailer attached to one of the vehicles in front of it and a northbound Ram pickup, while another northbound vehicle swerved into a field to avoid a collision.

The 17-year-old truck driver was seriously injured in the crash, according to authorities.

Ram driver John Richard Sharp, 68, was hospitalized with unspecified injuries after being extricated from his pickup, authorities said.

None of the other people involved in the accident were injured, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Vernon County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a semi-truck jackknifed and hit a pickup head-on, the immediate reaction is often: "Well, the truck must've done something wrong." That may be true, but from a legal standpoint, it's not enough to assume. It has to be proven through real evidence. And in this case, several important questions are still unanswered.

According to reports, the semi was hauling a farm implement southbound on Highway 27 when it jackknifed while slowing for stopped traffic. It struck a trailer ahead of it and then crossed into the northbound lane, hitting a Ram pickup and injuring its driver. But here's what we don’t yet know: Why did the truck lose control in the first place?

Was the truck traveling too fast for conditions? Did the driver brake too hard? Was there a mechanical issue or a problem with the trailer load? It’s not clear. What we do know is that a jackknife doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. It’s almost always a sign that something went wrong with how the truck was being operated or maintained.

Also worth noting is that the driver of the semi was just 17 years old. That raises serious questions about how someone that young came to be operating a commercial vehicle on a public highway. Was he legally licensed to drive a semi? Was he properly trained? Did the trucking company have protocols in place to evaluate whether he was ready for that responsibility? Depending on the answers, responsibility could extend beyond just the driver.

This is exactly the kind of situation where the evidence becomes critical. The truck’s electronic control module (ECM), which logs speed, braking and other vehicle data, could help determine whether the truck was being driven safely before it jackknifed. In-cab cameras, if installed, could show what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to the crash. Cell phone records might reveal whether the driver was distracted.

I’ve worked cases where dash cam footage, black box data and hiring records completely changed the direction of a lawsuit. In one instance, a company hired a driver who had already been fired from multiple previous jobs for safety violations. They gave him a 20-minute road test and sent him on his way. When he caused a crash, it wasn’t just on him. It was on the company that put him behind the wheel.

The bottom line is, we don’t yet have enough facts to say who’s responsible for what happened on Highway 27. But if there’s one thing experience has taught me, it’s that thorough investigation — of both the driver and the company — is the only way to find the truth.

Key Takeaways:

• A semi-truck jackknifed and hit an oncoming pickup, but it's unclear why the truck lost control.
• The driver was only 17 years old, raising questions about licensing, training and oversight.
• Key evidence like ECM data, in-cab video and cell phone records may help clarify what went wrong.
• Legal responsibility could fall on the driver, the trucking company or both, depending on what an investigation reveals.
• Real accountability starts with gathering evidence and seeing where it leads.