White Marsh, MD — November 19, 2022, 52-year-old truck driver Joseph Thomas II was hit and killed by a car on the shoulder of I-95 in Baltimore County.

Authorities say the incident happened around 7:20 a.m. along I-95 south near White Marsh. Preliminary investigation suggests Thomas was outside of his truck and wearing a fluorescent vest as he helped another truck driver hitch a semi-truck to a trailer.

As the drivers worked on the shoulder a car reported crossed the shoulder's fog line and struck Thomas and the truck. Thomas was transported from the scene to an area hospital where he died a short time later.

The investigation is ongoing. No further information is currently available.

Commentary on Joseph Thomas II Accident in Baltimore County

While it's unclear what exactly happened here (how did the other truck decouple from its trailer? Why did the car leave the travel lanes?), obviously a careful and thorough investigation is in order. However, getting answers may be more challenging than one would think.

Folks tend to believe crash investigations are straightforward, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Police reports are more often than not "educated guesses" based on whatever obvious details officers find at the scene, but in many instances important information slips through the cracks because the people looking don't have the necessary forensic training or tools to see it.

Maybe things are exactly as they appear in this accident, but experience tells me there could be more to the story. That's why I take steps to inform people about the unfortunate shortcomings of a standard police investigation, and what can be done to overcome those pitfalls.