Wilson County, TN — January 28, 2026, Joseph Blackburn lost his life due to a truck accident sometime overnight along Interstate Highway 40.

According to authorities, 61-year-old Joseph Blackburn was traveling in a westbound Peterbilt 18-wheeler on I-40 in the vicinity east of Bobo Road/Linwood Road when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the truck was unable to safely navigate a curve in the roadway. It consequently veered left, crossing over the center median and the eastbound lanes of the interstate before running off of the road. It came to a stop on Bluebird Road, which runs parallel to the interstate, after crashing into several trees, reports state.

Blackburn reportedly sustained fatal 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 a commercial truck leaves the highway, crosses opposing lanes, and crashes off-road, investigators need to start with one question: Why didn’t the driver maintain control? Trucks don’t typically veer across multiple lanes and off the roadway without a significant breakdown in either alertness, mechanical function, or both.

In this case, the fact that the vehicle couldn’t navigate a curve suggests a potential failure in judgment, equipment, or readiness to respond. Overnight timing only sharpens those concerns. I’ve handled enough of these cases to know that when a crash like this happens at night, driver fatigue is often a leading factor—though not the only one worth examining.

Key areas investigators should focus on include:

• Driver alertness and rest history, including hours-of-service compliance and how long he’d been on duty;
• Speed going into the curve, as indicated by ECM data, especially if the curve was sharp or inadequately marked;
• Brake and steering function, which can fail gradually over time or suddenly if not properly maintained;
• Road design and visibility, including whether signage, lighting, or lane markings gave the driver enough warning;
• Whether medical issues, distraction, or impairment could have affected the driver’s ability to respond to the roadway.

In cases like this, it’s not always just about what happened at the curve—it’s about the condition of the driver and vehicle leading up to it. If fatigue, distraction, or a mechanical problem played a role, then this crash wasn’t a fluke. It was a chain of preventable events that simply ended there.

Key Takeaways:

• A truck crossing the median and running off the road raises serious concerns about driver alertness or mechanical failure.
• ECM data and maintenance records will be key to understanding speed, braking, and equipment condition.
• Overnight timing increases the likelihood that fatigue played a role, especially on long-haul routes.
• Roadway conditions and curve design should also be reviewed to assess whether the roadway itself contributed.
• Even single-vehicle crashes can reflect deeper safety breakdowns when commercial vehicles are involved.