Titus County, TX — December 15, 2024, Oscar Salas was injured in a car accident at about 1:20 a.m. on U.S. Route 67.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado was pulling out of a private driveway when it was hit by a 2020 Dodge Challenger.

Chevrolet driver Oscar Salas, 51, was seriously injured in the crash, according to authorities. Dodge driver Hazel Schaffer, 21, suffered a possible injury.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Titus County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash happens at night involving a vehicle entering a major roadway from a private driveway, the instinct is often to focus solely on whether the driver pulling out failed to yield. But that narrow view can miss the full scope of what led to the collision. To get real answers in situations like this, three critical questions must always guide the investigation: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into whether a vehicle defect played a role? And has all the electronic data from the vehicles involved been collected?

At 1:20 in the morning, visibility, lighting, and driver perception all come into play in a way they don’t during the day. A full investigation should evaluate whether the driver pulling out could reasonably see oncoming traffic and whether approaching vehicles had their headlights on and were traveling at safe speeds. Additionally, was there any obstruction or feature of the driveway or roadway that limited visibility or created confusion about right-of-way? Those are not questions that get answered by a standard police report: they require scene reconstruction and sometimes site visits to fully understand the context.

The second issue to examine is the potential for a vehicle defect. While the assumption may be that human error caused the crash, it’s worth asking whether a mechanical failure could have played a part. The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado, for example, could have experienced delayed throttle response, brake issues or electrical system malfunctions that caused the driver to hesitate or misjudge timing. On the other side, the 2020 Dodge Challenger is a high-performance vehicle. If that vehicle was accelerating rapidly or had malfunctioning lights or driver-assistance systems, those could be contributing factors. But unless the vehicles are preserved and inspected, the opportunity to uncover such evidence could be lost.

Finally, electronic data is often the clearest source of answers. Both vehicles involved are modern enough to have engine control modules that likely recorded speed, throttle position, braking activity and other key metrics leading up to the crash. That data can clarify whether either driver made evasive maneuvers, braked appropriately or was accelerating at the time of the impact. This is especially important in nighttime crashes where witness accounts are limited or unreliable. Additionally, GPS data, dashcam footage or surveillance from nearby properties could offer independent verification of each vehicle’s movement.

Crashes like this one deserve more than assumptions about driver error. Only a comprehensive, evidence-based investigation that includes scene analysis, vehicle inspections and digital data can bring clarity to what happened and whether it could have been prevented. That’s the standard that those affected by the crash deserve.