Lampasas County, TX — January 29, 2026, Jose Mendoza was injured due to a single-vehicle truck accident at approximately 11:30 p.m. along U.S. Highway 183.

According to authorities, 55-year-old Jose Mendoza was traveling in a southeast bound Volvo 18-wheeler with a trailer in tow in the vicinity southeast of the County Road 4026 intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, the Volvo was involved in a single-vehicle collision in which it apparently overturned. Mendoza reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident.

Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I see that an 18-wheeler overturned in a single-vehicle crash just before midnight, the first question I ask is simple: what caused the truck to lose stability in the first place? Tractor-trailers are built for highway travel, and they don’t typically tip over without a triggering event.

It’s not clear whether the truck drifted off the roadway, made a sudden steering correction, or encountered an obstacle. We don’t yet know if another vehicle played a role and left the scene, or if roadway conditions contributed to the rollover. Without that context, it’s impossible to determine whether this was a driver-related issue, a mechanical failure, or something else entirely.

Because this happened late at night, fatigue is a legitimate question. Was the driver within his legal hours of service? Had he been on the road for an extended period? Drowsy driving can lead to delayed reactions or lane departures, especially on rural highways where traffic is light and stretches are long.

Engine control module data will be critical in understanding what happened. That data can show speed, braking, and throttle input in the seconds before the rollover. If there was a sudden steering input or hard braking, it may indicate the driver was reacting to something. If there was little or no corrective action, investigators may look more closely at distraction or fatigue.

Load stability is another factor that can’t be ignored. We don’t know whether the trailer was fully loaded, partially loaded, or empty. An uneven or shifting load can raise a truck’s center of gravity and make it more prone to tipping, particularly if the driver makes a sharp maneuver.

Single-vehicle truck rollovers are often described as straightforward, but in my experience, they rarely are. The real explanation usually comes from electronic data, vehicle inspections, maintenance records, and a careful reconstruction of how the truck moved before it overturned.

Key Takeaways

• The central issue is what caused the truck to lose stability and overturn.
• It’s unclear whether fatigue, distraction, mechanical failure, or a roadway hazard played a role.
• Black box data can clarify speed and driver input before the crash.
• Load weight and balance may have influenced the rollover.
• A full investigation requires data analysis and mechanical inspection.