Dutchess County, NY — May 29, 2025, Mario Hernandez was killed and another person was hurt in a single-truck accident before 3:00 p.m. on Wingdale Mountain Road.

According to authorities, two people—a 32-year-old driver and 38-year-old Mario Ernesto Hernandez—were traveling in a westbound Freightliner box truck on Wingdale Mountain Road in the vicinity east of the Clove Valley Road intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the box truck experienced brake failure, leading to a loss of control on an apparently steep downgrade. The truck was consequently involved in a single vehicle accident in which it left the left side of the road and crashed into several trees before coming to a stop.

Hernandez reportedly suffered fatal injuries over the course of the accident and was declared deceased at the scene. The person who had been behind the wheel sustained non-life-threatening injuries, as well, and was taken to a local medical facility by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a truck's brakes reportedly fail on a steep downhill and someone loses their life as a result, it's natural to ask: Was this just mechanical bad luck—or a preventable failure? In commercial trucking, brake problems aren’t just flukes. They're red flags, and when one leads to a fatal crash, a deeper investigation is absolutely necessary.

The early reports here mention a brake failure, but they don’t explain what kind. Did the brakes overheat due to improper use? Were they worn down from lack of maintenance? Or did a mechanical part fail unexpectedly? Each scenario points to a different root cause—and potentially a different party who bears responsibility.

In my experience, brake failure is rarely about the brakes themselves. It's often about the systems in place (or not in place) to make sure those brakes are road-ready. That means asking: Who inspected the truck before the trip? Was the vehicle properly maintained? Did the trucking company have protocols for checking brakes before sending drivers down mountainous or steep roads?

Wingdale Mountain Road, by all accounts, involves a steep downgrade. If that’s a known hazard, then even more scrutiny is needed. Did the driver know what to expect on that stretch of road? Was he trained for mountain driving? Was the truck equipped with auxiliary braking systems like a Jake brake or engine retarder? If not, why not?

I've handled cases where trucking companies put drivers in older or poorly maintained trucks to cut costs, especially in situations where they thought they could avoid scrutiny—like a short route or a local delivery. But once something goes wrong, it's always clear that cutting corners on safety was a choice, not an accident.

This crash didn’t involve another vehicle. But that doesn’t mean no one else is responsible. Whether this was due to faulty maintenance, improper equipment, or gaps in training, someone had a duty to ensure that truck was safe before it ever reached the top of that hill.

Key Takeaways:

• Reported brake failure raises serious questions about the truck’s maintenance and mechanical condition.
• Investigators should examine inspection records, repair logs, and whether mountain-driving protocols were followed.
• Brake failure is often preventable and may point to negligence by the company, maintenance provider, or both.
• The steep road involved makes it critical to ask whether the truck was properly equipped and the driver adequately trained.
• A full investigation must go beyond the crash site to identify failures in oversight, training, or equipment.