Marion County, OH — January 19, 2026, Joshua Criswell was killed in a truck accident at about 7 p.m. on Marion-Williamsport Road West.

Authorities said a northbound 2011 Chevrolet Malibu and a southbound Kenworth semi-truck collided northwest of Marion. Both vehicles went off the road after the crash.

Chevrolet driver Joshua Criswell, 42, of Marion died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Marion County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a car and an 18-wheeler collide head-on, people naturally want to know: how could two vehicles traveling in opposite directions end up in the same space at the same time? Did one of them drift over the center line? And if so, why? Was it a mistake, a moment of inattention or something else entirely?

Authorities haven’t released many details yet, but the basics are clear: a Chevy Malibu and a Kenworth semi-truck collided on Marion-Williamsport Road. The car's driver was killed, while the truck driver reportedly had minor injuries. What we don’t know is which driver, if any, crossed into oncoming traffic, or whether the vehicles collided in some other way.

That’s more than just a technicality. If the truck drifted over the center line, then the focus would need to be on what caused that to happen. Was the trucker distracted? Was he fatigued after too many hours behind the wheel? Was there a mechanical failure? These are not idle questions. They’re central to any credible investigation.

Fortunately, modern trucks carry tools that can help answer those questions. The engine control module (ECM), sometimes called the truck’s “black box,” can show whether the truck slowed or accelerated just before the crash, whether the brakes were applied and even how long the driver had been operating the vehicle that day. Many trucks also carry in-cab cameras that can show whether a driver was paying attention to the road, or looking at a phone.

There are also broader issues to consider. If the truck did cross over, was that the result of poor decision-making by the trucking company? I've handled cases where the driver shouldn't have been on the road at all. One recent case involved a driver who had been fired multiple times, but still got hired by a company that barely tested his skills. That kind of hiring negligence can be every bit as dangerous as the mistake behind the wheel.

On the other hand, if it turns out the passenger vehicle crossed the center line, then the relevant questions shift. In that case, investigators would want to understand whether the trucker had any chance to react, and whether the crash could have been avoided with better visibility, better signage, or different road design. At this point, we just don’t know.

That’s why the most important thing right now is a thorough, independent investigation. What happened here isn't just a matter of speculation. It's something that evidence can and should make clear.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear which vehicle crossed the center line, or how the crash occurred.
• ECM data, in-cab cameras and phone records can help reconstruct what the truck driver was doing at the time of the collision.
• The trucking company’s hiring, training and supervision practices may be relevant depending on what the investigation uncovers.
• Responsibility can’t be determined without examining the full range of physical and digital evidence.
• A proper investigation will focus not just on who was involved, but on what decisions — before and during the crash — led to this fatal outcome.