New Waverly, TX — May 28, 2025, Kiely Donovan and a teenager were injured in a car accident at approximately 11:00 a.m. along State Highway 150.

According to authorities, 42-year-old Kiely Donovan was traveling in a westbound Toyota Rav4 on S.H. 150 in the vicinity of the Podreza Road intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, an eastbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck occupied by a 17-year-old boy failed to safely maintain its lane of travel. A head-on collision consequently took place between the two vehicles.

Both Donovan and the teen reportedly suffered serious injuries as a result of the wreck. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Head-on collisions always demand serious attention, especially when they involve a teenager and result in injuries on both sides. When a vehicle crosses the center line for reasons that aren't immediately clear, the most important question is: why? Getting to that answer requires far more than a crash report.

Was the crash thoroughly investigated?

When a pickup drifts or swerves into an oncoming lane, it’s critical that the investigation include a full reconstruction. Were there skid marks showing braking or attempts to avoid the collision? Did investigators measure the angle and final rest position of the vehicles? These details help determine whether the Silverado gradually veered or made a sudden movement. At 11:00 a.m., daylight conditions remove excuses tied to poor visibility, so the focus should be on whether the crash was caused by inattention, sudden obstruction, or some failure behind the wheel—or under the hood.

Has anyone looked into possible vehicle defects?

A lane departure that ends in a head-on collision could signal something mechanical. A steering failure, a brake malfunction, or even electronic stability control problems could all lead to a truck losing its lane. Given that a teenager was behind the wheel, it's easy for people to blame inexperience, but doing so without ruling out mechanical causes is premature. A thorough inspection of the Silverado is necessary to determine whether the vehicle contributed to the crash—or responded properly in the moments before it.

Has all the electronic data been collected?

Modern vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Rav4 are both equipped with event data recorders that log vehicle behavior right before a crash. That includes steering inputs, speed, braking, and throttle activity. Those records could confirm whether the teen attempted to correct the vehicle or if the truck failed to respond to input. Similarly, GPS and navigation data might help track the truck’s behavior in the moments leading up to the crash. For Donovan’s vehicle, the same data could show whether she had any time to react. These are the kinds of facts that help move an investigation beyond speculation.

A head-on crash doesn’t just happen. Whether it was driver behavior, mechanical failure, or something else entirely, those answers are out there—but only if someone is committed to finding them.

• Investigators should reconstruct the vehicle paths, braking, and impact angle to understand how the crash unfolded.
• Mechanical failures in the Silverado must be thoroughly ruled out, especially in a lane-departure scenario.
• Electronic data from both vehicles can confirm whether corrective action was taken—or if the systems failed to respond.