Dimmit County, TX — May 30, 2024, Jose A. Lugo was killed as the result of a semi-truck accident around 1:06 a.m. along US Highway 83.

Authorities said in their preliminary statements that the accident took place just outside of Catarina along US 83.

It appears that 30-year-old Jose A. Lugo of El Paso was in a semi-truck going along the highway. Somehow, the truck lost control, causing it to go off-road. There, the semi overturned along the ditch.

Jose Lugo reportedly died due to the accident. Right now, additional details are unavailable.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a commercial truck leaves the highway and overturns—especially in the early morning hours—and the driver is killed, it’s critical to ask whether the investigation looked beyond the obvious. One person’s life was lost, and it's important their loved ones know their side of the story is being told fairly.

1. Did investigators have the time, equipment, and training to fully analyze the crash?
Crashes involving heavy trucks are rarely simple. Understanding why the truck left the road—whether due to driver action, road conditions, or something else—requires proper scene mapping and reconstruction expertise. It’s not clear whether those resources were brought in or if the scene was only documented at face value.

2. Was the truck inspected for any possible mechanical failures?
When a semi goes off-road, a steering failure, brake issue, or load imbalance could all be factors. These kinds of problems may not be visible from the outside and won’t be found unless someone conducted a thorough inspection of the truck and trailer systems. If that didn’t happen, a critical cause may have been missed.

3. Was any electronic data from the truck preserved?
Most commercial trucks are equipped with electronic logging devices and onboard systems that record speed, throttle, braking, and steering input. That data could explain whether the driver attempted to avoid something or if the vehicle responded properly. But this information is time-sensitive and only useful if someone collected it promptly.

Even a long time after a crash, asking the right questions can sometimes reveal that initial investigations came up short. If that happens, there may be possible steps so those shortcomings can be addressed, helping to bring the full story to light.

Takeaways:

• It’s unclear whether the crash was fully investigated using the right tools and expertise.
• A mechanical issue may have led to the truck’s loss of control but requires inspection to confirm.
• Onboard data could explain what happened—if it was retrieved in time.