Audrain County, MO — January 21, 2026, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 6:45 a.m. on State Route 22 west of Thompson.

Authorities said a westbound 2010 Ford Escape collided with a 2019 Kenworth semi-truck while trying to pass several other vehicles. The semi caught fire after the crash, while a westbound 2023 Freightliner semi-truck went off the road and overturned as it tried to avoid another collision.

The Ford driver, a 35-year-old man from Mexico, MO, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. His name has not been made public yet.

Both semi-truck drivers suffered moderate injuries in the crash, authorities said, but only the Freightliner driver was hospitalized. The other one refused medical treatment at the scene.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read that a small SUV collided with two 18-wheelers, causing one to catch fire and the other to overturn, it's natural to wonder how things spiraled so far out of control. Was it just a moment of poor judgment from the SUV driver, or were there contributing factors that haven’t come to light yet? At this point, there's a lot we don't know, and without more details, it’s too early to draw firm conclusions about who’s responsible.

According to initial reports, the driver of a Ford Escape was trying to pass several vehicles on a two-lane road when he collided with a semi-truck. That suggests a dangerous maneuver, but the situation isn’t so simple. We’re told the semi-truck caught fire, and another 18-wheeler had to swerve off the road to avoid the crash, overturning in the process. It’s not clear whether the trucks were close together, how fast they were moving, or what visibility conditions were like around 6:45 a.m. on that stretch of State Route 22.

That raises important unanswered questions. For example:

• Were the trucks following each other too closely?
• Did the lead truck slow suddenly or was there something unexpected in the roadway?
• Was the SUV's pass an isolated mistake, or did other traffic conditions help set the stage for this?

In my experience handling truck crash cases, answers to these questions rarely come from police reports alone. They come from hard data: dash cams, driver logs, engine control module downloads and cell phone records. That’s especially important when multiple vehicles are involved. Each driver’s account might differ, but the truck's black box won’t lie about speed, braking or steering inputs.

It’s also worth asking whether either trucking company’s internal policies played a role. Were the drivers well-rested? Were they distracted? Did the companies have reasonable safeguards in place to keep unqualified drivers off the road? I once handled a case where a trucking company gave a new hire a 20-minute road test and called it a day. That shortcut cost someone their life. Until someone gets under the hood of both company and driver conduct here, we can't assume this crash was only about the SUV's attempt to pass.

Key Takeaways:

• It's not yet clear whether the SUV's pass was reckless or whether other traffic conditions contributed to the crash.
• Critical questions remain about the speed, spacing and actions of both semi-truck drivers.
• Black box data, dash cams and driver records are essential to determine what really happened.
• Trucking company policies and driver vetting procedures should also be investigated.
• Real accountability depends on a full review of both human decisions and mechanical data.