Harris County, TX — May 3, 2025, Lorie Rodriguez was injured in a truck accident at approximately 5:15 a.m. along U.S. Alternate Highway 90.

According to authorities, 51-year-old Lorie Rodriguez was traveling in a southbound Nissan Murano in the vicinity of the U.S. Alt. 90 and Sam Houston Tollway intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, a collision took place between the back-right quarter of the Nissan and the front-end of an eastbound Freightliner. Rodriguez reportedly suffered serious injuries as a result of the wreck. It does not appear that anyone else involved was harmed. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

In my 30 years handling truck accident cases, I’ve found that collisions at or near major intersections—especially those involving the side of a passenger vehicle and the front of a commercial truck—almost always raise questions about who had the right-of-way and whether one party failed to yield. A crash like this one, which occurred early in the morning at the intersection of U.S. Alternate 90 and the Sam Houston Tollway, is a prime example of how a moment of misjudgment or inattention in a high-speed environment can lead to serious, life-changing consequences.

The fact that the Freightliner struck the back-right quarter of the Nissan Murano strongly suggests the vehicles were either crossing paths or merging—likely in a situation where timing and lane position mattered. Was one vehicle turning? Did one driver run a red light or fail to yield? Did either party misjudge the speed of the other? These are all questions that require careful investigation, and early-morning conditions like low light or reduced visibility only increase the need to look at things like traffic signal timing, road design, and driver behavior leading up to the crash.

The truck’s role in this incident also deserves close attention. Commercial drivers are required to scan intersections, anticipate cross traffic, and maintain control of their vehicle even in rapidly changing traffic conditions. If the driver of the Freightliner failed to do so—because they were distracted, fatigued, or simply not paying enough attention—then they may bear legal responsibility regardless of who technically had the green light. I've seen cases where truck drivers assumed smaller vehicles would clear the intersection and proceeded without taking the time to confirm that the path was actually clear.

And because this was a commercial truck, the company behind it must also be considered. Was the driver trained for complex intersections like this one? Was the company monitoring hours-of-service to make sure the driver wasn’t operating while fatigued? Were they familiar with the route, and was the vehicle in safe working condition? These details matter, because a failure at the company level—whether in training, maintenance, or scheduling—can be just as important as anything that happened on the road in the moments before the crash.

Getting to the bottom of a crash like this means asking the right questions and refusing to stop at surface-level explanations. Serious wrecks deserve serious investigation, not assumptions. Understanding how the vehicles came into conflict, whether the truck was operated responsibly, and whether the company behind it met its obligations is key to figuring out what might have happened. Getting clear answers to these questions is the least that can be done to help those affected find the clarity and closure they deserve.