Mason County, WV — January 6, 2026, one person was injured in a truck accident just after 6 p.m. on the Silver Memorial Bridge on U.S. Highway 35.

Authorities said a semi-truck loaded with refrigeration units overturned on the bridge over the Ohio River, disruption traffic for several hours.

The truck driver was hospitalized with unspecified injuries after the crash near Point Pleasant, according to authorities.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a semi-truck tipped over on a bridge, they naturally wonder how something like that could even happen. Trucks don’t just fall over on their own, so what went wrong here?

According to reports, this particular truck was hauling refrigeration units when it overturned on the Silver Memorial Bridge. Depending on the weight and balance of that cargo, a number of legal questions come into play. Was the load properly secured? Was the weight evenly distributed across the trailer? Could a sudden maneuver, like swerving or taking a curve too fast, have made the truck unstable?

These are not academic questions. They get to the heart of how these kinds of incidents happen and who might ultimately be responsible. And yet, there’s still no public information about what caused the truck to overturn in this case. That leaves a lot of unanswered questions, starting with whether the truck’s cargo had anything to do with the crash; or if it was some other factor like driver error, mechanical failure or even a third-party vehicle that forced the driver into a losing position.

Whenever I hear that a truck hauling cargo flipped over, my first concern is whether the load shifted. In my experience, improperly loaded cargo is one of the most overlooked contributors to serious truck crashes. I tried a case not long ago where cargo hanging off a flatbed trailer caused a deadly collision. The case didn’t just stop at the driver; it extended to the people who loaded the truck, the company that planned the route and even those who approved the equipment used.

That’s why any meaningful investigation into this Mason County crash needs to look beyond just what happened at the scene. Investigators should review:

• The truck’s black box (engine control module) data to understand speed, braking and steering input.
• The driver’s logs to see if fatigue was a factor.
• Dash cam or in-cab camera footage, if available.
• The loading records and any documentation on who secured the refrigeration units.

Depending on what those records show, liability could rest with the driver, the trucking company, the cargo loader or some combination of all three.

Until more facts are released, it’s impossible to say who’s at fault. But from a legal standpoint, the goal is always the same: figure out what happened, how it happened and whether someone’s carelessness put others at risk.

Key Takeaways:

• A truck tipping over raises serious questions about cargo securement, driver behavior and vehicle condition.
• Investigations must examine black box data, dash cams and load records to determine what went wrong.
• Cargo loaders and trucking companies may share responsibility, not just the driver.
• Overturned load cases often involve multiple breakdowns in judgment, not a single mistake.
• Full accountability requires a thorough, independent investigation into all parties involved.