Michael Larsen Killed, 1 Injured in Truck Accident in Valley, NE

Update (August 8, 2025): Relatives have identified the man killed in this accident at Michael Bruce Larsen, 71, of Freemont.

Valley, NE — July 31, 2025, one person was killed and another was injured in a truck accident at about 6:30 a.m. on East Meigs Street near the U.S. Route 275 off-ramp.

Authorities said an SUV had exited the eastbound highway when it was hit by a semi-truck trying to turn left onto Meigs Street.

The driver of the SUV, whose name has not been made public yet, died in the crash, according to authorities, while a woman riding with him with hospitalized with unspecified injuries after being extricated from the vehicle.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Douglas County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a crash like this, where a semi-truck hits a vehicle exiting the highway, most want to know the same thing: how does something like that happen, and who’s really responsible? Based on what’s been reported so far, it’s not clear if the SUV had the right of way, whether the truck driver was already turning or if either vehicle ran a signal or stop sign. Those are the kinds of basic facts that should be clarified early on, but too often they’re missing from initial reports.

Depending on how that intersection is set up, several scenarios are possible. If the SUV was coming down an off-ramp and the truck was trying to turn left across that path, the timing and visibility of each vehicle becomes crucial. Did the truck driver misjudge the SUV’s speed or distance? Was there any traffic control at the intersection? Did either driver stop or yield? Without answers to these questions, it’s impossible to say who had the legal right of way.

That’s where evidence collection becomes essential. Most commercial trucks are equipped with an engine control module (ECM), which records data about the truck’s speed, braking and throttle activity just before a crash. Some also have dash cameras that can show exactly what the driver saw. Cell phone records can confirm whether the driver was distracted. And if the SUV was visible and approaching quickly, that information will be obvious from those records, assuming someone demands access to them.

Beyond the crash itself, we also need to know more about the driver and the company that put him on the road. Was this someone with a clean driving record and proper training? Did the company vet the driver’s background or conduct a road test before hiring? I’ve handled cases where trucking companies handed the keys to drivers with a history of wrecks or even drug use, simply because they were desperate to fill a seat. That kind of negligence doesn’t always show up in the police report, but it can be a major factor behind a crash like this.

In short, there’s still a long list of unanswered questions. And while that might be understandable so soon after the crash, those answers won’t surface on their own. Someone has to ask the right questions, demand the data and piece together what actually happened.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s unclear whether the SUV or the semi-truck had the right of way when the crash occurred.
• Critical questions remain about visibility, timing, and traffic control at the intersection.
• Black box data, dash cam footage and phone records can help reconstruct the sequence of events.
• The truck driver’s training, driving record and the company’s hiring practices may also be relevant.
• A thorough investigation is the only way to determine who should be held accountable.