Comal County, TX — January 7, 2026, one person was killed and another was injured in a single-vehicle accident at about 1:45 a.m. on River Road.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2007 Ford F-150 was heading southeast when it went off the road and crashed into a tree.

One passenger, a 22-year-old man, died from injuries suffered in the crash north of New Braunfels, according to the report, while another passenger, also a 22-year-old man, was hospitalized with serious injuries.

The driver suffered minor injuries, the report states.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Comal County crash at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When serious crashes happen in the early hours of the morning, they often leave behind more questions than answers. It's natural to assume these incidents are open-and-shut cases, but that mindset risks overlooking critical details that could make a real difference, especially for those left coping with the aftermath.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? In single-vehicle accidents like this, a surface-level investigation might seem sufficient. But to understand what really happened, investigators need to do more than just log skid marks and point to driver error. A full-scale reconstruction — using tools like 3D mapping and trajectory analysis — could reveal whether the vehicle veered off the road due to driver behavior, mechanical failure or something else entirely. The reality is, not every officer has the training or time to conduct this kind of work. Without it, assumptions go unchallenged.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? A 2007 Ford F-150 is nearly two decades old. Wear and tear, missed maintenance, or unnoticed defects in brakes, steering components or suspension systems can all play a role in a crash like this. Yet unless someone insists on a mechanical inspection, the vehicle may be written off and scrapped without anyone checking. That’s a major blind spot, especially when passengers suffer the worst outcomes.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Even in older vehicles, there’s often more electronic data available than people realize. Engine control modules, paired with phone GPS, app histories and even nearby security camera footage, can help piece together what the truck was doing in the moments before impact. Did the driver hit the brakes? Was the vehicle speeding? Was someone using a phone? These are answerable questions, but only if the effort is made to dig deeper.

Peeling back the layers on a crash like this matters. What looks like a straightforward wreck might hide missed warnings, mechanical breakdowns or preventable patterns.

Key Takeaways:

• A deeper crash investigation can uncover hidden causes that aren't obvious at first glance.
• Older vehicles need careful inspection to rule out mechanical issues that may have led to a crash.
• Electronic records from the vehicle or driver’s devices can offer key clues, but only if they’re collected in time.