Greene County, OH — October 13, 2025, Justin Mullikin was killed in a truck accident at about 2:45 p.m. on State Route 72 south of Jamestown.

Authorities said a semi-truck loaded with grain was heading west on Plymouth Road when it was hit by a pickup. The semi allegedly failed to yield before the crash.

Pickup driver Justin Mullikin, 36, of Jamestown was pronounced dead at the scene of the Silvercreek Township crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver refused medical treatment after the crash, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Greene County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a pickup collides with an 18-wheeler and the pickup driver loses his life, people naturally want to know: What happened here, and who's at fault? In this case, authorities say the semi-truck failed to yield before the crash. That’s a critical piece of information, but it's not the full picture.

What we don’t yet know is why the truck failed to yield. Was the driver distracted? Was there a visibility issue at the intersection? Was the truck speeding or rolling through a stop? These are all questions that don’t get answered in a press release but can be resolved through a thorough investigation.

In truck accident cases like this, a few specific pieces of evidence tend to tell the story. The truck’s engine control module (or ECM) will show its speed and braking activity right before the crash. If the truck had a dash cam or inward-facing cab camera, as many do, that footage could show what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to impact. Cell phone records can reveal whether the driver was distracted. And depending on where the crash happened on the road, skid marks and impact angles can help clarify which vehicle had the right of way.

It’s also worth noting that the truck was hauling grain, which raises additional questions. Was the load properly secured? Did weight or momentum affect the truck’s ability to stop or maneuver? While cargo doesn’t seem to have spilled in this crash, how the vehicle was loaded could still be a factor in whether the driver could safely navigate the intersection.

Sometimes when I’ve handled cases like this, I’ve discovered that the driver wasn’t the only one whose choices contributed to the crash. A driver’s employer might fail to properly train them or may overlook safety issues during hiring. I've handled cases where a driver had multiple terminations on his record, yet was hired anyway without a meaningful road test or background check. If a driver makes a mistake, that’s one thing, but if a company puts an unqualified driver behind the wheel, that mistake can become a legal liability.

For now, it’s not clear whether the trucker was simply inattentive or whether other issues were at play. But the question of why the truck failed to yield is one that deserves a real answer, and that answer will only come through deeper scrutiny of the evidence.

Key Takeaways:

• Authorities say the truck failed to yield, but the reason behind that failure is still unknown.
• Black box data, dash cam footage and cell phone records are critical to understanding what happened.
• How the grain truck was loaded could factor into stopping distance and maneuverability.
• Hiring and training practices may become relevant if the driver was unqualified or poorly prepared.
• A full investigation is necessary to determine who is truly responsible and how the crash could have been prevented.