Update (October 10, 2025): Authorities have identified the men who died in this accident as John K. Stoddard, 56, of Belle Plaine and Michael A. Windahl, 29, of Harper.

Sumner County, KS — October 7, 2025, two people were killed in a box truck accident at about 10 a.m. on U.S. Route 160 east of Wellington.

Authorities said a box truck and a pickup collided head-on near Hillside Road, leaving both vehicles on fire in the ditch on the south side of the road.

Both drivers died in the crash, according to authorities. Their names have not been made public yet.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Sumner County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a head-on collision between a box truck and a pickup, especially one where both vehicles caught fire and both drivers died, they’re left with the same questions I’ve heard for decades: How could something like this happen? Did one of the drivers make a mistake, or was something wrong with the vehicle? Will anyone actually get to the bottom of it?

As of now, we don’t know many of the critical facts. Authorities haven't said which vehicle crossed the center line or why the collision occurred. And without those facts, there's no way to know where accountability should fall. But that doesn’t mean we’re left without a roadmap. I've handled enough of these cases to know what kind of evidence will get us answers.

First, both vehicles caught fire after the crash, which raises immediate concerns about preserving key data. If the box truck was equipped with an engine control module (ECM), which most commercial trucks are, then its black box may still hold information about speed, braking and steering inputs right before the crash. But heat and fire can destroy that data unless it's recovered quickly. That’s why timely investigation matters.

Second, dash cam footage and in-cab cameras (if available) could help clarify whether either driver crossed the center line or made evasive maneuvers. Did either vehicle swerve to avoid an obstacle? Was one of them stopped or broken down? Right now, none of that is clear.

Cell phone records are another important piece of the puzzle. It’s not unusual to find out, after a crash like this, that one of the drivers was distracted. But again, no one will know unless someone does the legwork to subpoena that data and interpret it properly.

And while it’s easy to blame a driver, experience has taught me that the cause often runs deeper. If the box truck was part of a commercial fleet, we’d want to know what kind of training the company provided, how thoroughly they vetted the driver and whether their hiring policies encouraged shortcuts. I’ve seen companies hand over the keys to drivers with a string of disqualifying incidents just to keep a route covered. That’s not just poor judgment. It’s a liability.

At the end of the day, the truth about this crash won’t come from press releases or assumptions. It’ll come from evidence, if someone takes the time to gather it, preserve it and examine it in full.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear which vehicle crossed the center line or what caused the crash.
• Both vehicles caught fire, making rapid evidence recovery (like black box data) critical.
• Cell phone records, dash cams and ECM data could help establish fault.
• If the box truck was part of a fleet, company hiring and training policies may also need scrutiny.
• Accountability starts with asking the right questions and pursuing the full picture through investigation.