UPDATE (December 10, 2025): Officials identified the man killed in the accident as Michael Dent. Additional details about potential charges remain unavailable at this time.

Houston, TX — November 28, 2025, a man was killed as the result of an 18-wheeler accident at around 11:00 p.m. on Highway 288.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said that the crash happened at the intersection of the TX-288 and South Sam Houston Parkway West intersection.

Initial details say that a man was in a car traveling through the intersection. Authorities say there was dash cam video of the crash. It reportedly shows that an 18-wheeler with an Amazon trailer ran a red light. As a result, it crashed into the man's car. The man died due to the crash.

Right now, details about potential charges are unclear. Investigations are ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Reading these preliminary reports, some key details stood out to me which people should be aware of.

The first thing that stood out is the mention of dash cam video of the wreck. That's absolutely crucial evidence. I'd want to know who has custody of that evidence. There's a big difference between authorities having that video preserved in their possession and an officer simply watching the video and giving the evidence back to the trucking company. Preserving the evidence should be a priority so there's no chance of it being erased, overwritten, or altered in any way.

To add to that, it stood out that there's been no mention of whether investigators pulled the truck's Engine Control Module data, or ECM data. This is a sort of "black box" that contains vital information such as speed, braking, and even steering input. Combining that with video evidence can give an exceptionally detailed account of what the truck driver was doing at the time of and leading up to the crash. Again, the sooner investigators secure that evidence, the better.

Lastly, I want to say that it's all well and good for the news reporters to parrot Amazon's statements claiming the truck driver involved here was a third-party contractor and not an employee. However, that's not how Texas law works. The company can say whatever it likes, but ultimately it's a judge that determines whether the driver involved in this crash is an Amazon employee or a contractor.

So as usual, it's best to take preliminary news reports with several grains of salt. They may seem open-and-shut, but there is always a ton of work that needs to be done behind the scenes to ensure victims and families see a proper resolution.