Calhoun County, SC — May 14, 2025, Mariah Smith-Ramos was killed as the result of a truck accident that happened around 3:00 a.m. along Interstate 26.

Preliminary statements about the accident say that it happened along eastbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 122, south of Columbia.

According to officials, 26-year-old Mariah Smith-Ramos was in a Toyota car going along I-26. Due to events not clear right now, the Toyota crashed into the back of a Mack truck. As a result, officials say that Mariah Smith-Ramos was killed.

There were no other reported injuries, and additional details about the accident are unavailable.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

To this day, the most common misconception I have people ask me about has to do with rear-end collisions. Despite what many think, there is nothing that says someone is automatically responsible when they crash into the back of another vehicle. It's important to know the full context.

Was the vehicle in front parked in the roadway due to mechanical issues? Did they make an abrupt lane change? Were their brake lights working? Were their taillights out? Did the rear driver's brakes fail? These are just a few examples of things that someone who rear ends another vehicle can't necessarily control.

Common or not, it's important to consider all possibilities following a deadly accident. That's why it's important to ask if authorities have taken steps to let the evidence speak for itself, or if they, too, were quick to jump to conclusions rather than do proper investigations.