Tyler, TX — October 17, 2025, Kara Gavadin was injured in a single-vehicle accident just after 9 p.m. on U.S. Route 69/Mineola Highway.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2016 Ford Expedition and a 2010 Honda CR-V collided after swerving to avoid an animal in the road while heading north near County Road 493.

A passenger in the Ford, 31-year-old Kara Gavadin, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

The drivers and three other passengers in the Ford, including two children, were not injured, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After any serious crash, it's natural to wonder whether the full story has been uncovered. When injuries are severe but details are sparse, it raises fair questions about how deeply investigators have dug into the facts. That kind of scrutiny matters; not just for those involved, but for everyone who shares the road.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? It's not clear yet whether crash investigators conducted a full reconstruction of the scene or simply documented the basics. Given the involvement of multiple occupants and an evasive maneuver, it would be important to determine precisely how both vehicles reacted and whether driver decisions matched the physical evidence. Not every agency has the same level of training or tools to carry out that kind of detailed work. If the initial report stops at surface-level observations, critical facts could be left on the table.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Swerving to avoid an animal is one thing; how a vehicle responds during that moment is another. Issues like faulty steering, unstable suspension or traction control glitches can turn a sudden maneuver into a dangerous spinout. With two different models involved, each with its own age and wear, it's worth asking whether either vehicle had a mechanical failure that contributed. A full mechanical inspection, especially of the Ford where the injury occurred, should be part of the follow-up.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Today’s vehicles hold more information than ever. Data from onboard systems could show whether either vehicle applied the brakes, veered abruptly or accelerated unexpectedly. Paired with any dashcams or traffic camera footage from nearby intersections, that kind of data would go a long way in confirming exactly what took place. Without it, any understanding of what led to the crash rests on incomplete accounts.

Sometimes a collision is more than just a quick reaction gone wrong. Uncovering the real cause often takes a willingness to look past the obvious and ask tougher questions. That’s how lasting answers, and accountability, get built.

Key Takeaways:

• A full crash reconstruction may not have been done, leaving key questions unanswered.
• Mechanical problems in either vehicle could have played a role and should be checked.
• Vehicle and camera data might offer a clearer picture of how the crash unfolded.