Liberty County, TX — August 28, 2025, Loretta Carbo was injured due to a car accident shortly before 4:30 p.m. along U.S. Highway 90.

According to authorities, 60-year-old Loretta Carbo was traveling in a westbound Ford F-150 pickup truck on U.S. 90 in the vicinity east of Dayton, Texas, when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a west bound Dodge Charger failed to appropriately control its speed. A collision consequently occurred between the front-end of the Charger and the rear-end of the pickup truck. Carbo reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. It does not appear that anyone in the Charger was hurt. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Rear-end crashes on highways are often treated as if the story is already known—the trailing driver didn’t stop in time. But when someone is seriously injured, it’s important to ask whether investigators looked closely enough, whether a defect in the striking vehicle may have played a role, and whether electronic data was preserved.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

A rear-end collision involving a Dodge Charger and a Ford F-150 raises questions about speed, distance, and driver reaction. Did investigators document skid marks, vehicle positions, or roadway conditions at the time of impact? Was the Charger’s driver behavior leading up to the crash reviewed in detail? Without full reconstruction, the assumption is often that the driver was inattentive, but other explanations may exist.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

A sudden brake failure, tire blowout, or electronic control issue in the Charger could easily prevent the driver from stopping in time. Even something like a malfunctioning cruise control or stability system can affect how quickly a vehicle responds. Unless the Dodge was secured and examined, those possibilities may never be ruled out. The fact that the pickup truck bore the brunt of the impact shouldn’t overshadow the need to consider whether the striking vehicle failed mechanically.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Both vehicles likely contain event data recorders that can show speed, throttle position, and braking activity in the moments before impact. That information could clarify whether the Charger’s driver attempted to stop or whether the vehicle simply failed to respond. Phone records may also shed light on distraction. And along a major highway like U.S. 90, there may be nearby traffic or security cameras that recorded the collision. This evidence doesn’t last long unless it’s secured quickly.

Rear-end crashes may seem routine, but routine assumptions can miss critical facts. Careful scene work, mechanical inspections, and digital data collection are what bring clarity to cases like this.

Takeaways:

• Even in rear-end crashes, full reconstruction is needed to determine what really happened.
• Mechanical failures in the striking vehicle can’t be ruled out without inspection.
• Event recorders, phone records, and camera footage are vital for confirming the cause.