Wichita County, TX — March 15, 2025, Patricia Mayo was injured due to a single-car accident at approximately 2:30 a.m. along Business Highway 287.

According to authorities, 48-year-old Patricia Mayo was traveling in a northwest bound Chevrolet Equinox on Business Highway 287 in the vicinity northwest of Midway Church Road when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, the Equinox was involved in a single-vehicle collision in which it apparently struck a fence. Mayo reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a driver is seriously hurt in a late-night crash with no other vehicles involved, it’s easy to assume the cause was simple. But single-car accidents often leave behind more questions than answers—questions that need to be asked before anyone can truly understand what happened.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?

A vehicle leaving the road and hitting a fence may seem minor, but the consequences clearly weren’t. Was the scene mapped to determine how and when the Equinox left its lane? Did officers document tire marks, braking signs, or the driver’s trajectory? At 2:30 a.m., with limited lighting and resources, important evidence is often overlooked. If investigators didn’t conduct a detailed reconstruction, the true cause may still be unknown.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?

When a car veers off the road unexpectedly, mechanical failure is always a possibility. Did the steering respond properly? Were the brakes functioning as they should? Even issues like a sudden tire problem or faulty traction control can send a vehicle off course. Unless the Equinox is thoroughly inspected for these less-visible problems, there’s no way to know whether a defect played a role in the crash.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Most modern vehicles are equipped with systems that log key data like speed, braking activity, and steering input in the moments before a crash. That information could show whether the vehicle was reacting to a problem—or if the driver had a chance to respond at all. A connected cell phone might also help establish timing or indicate distraction. And if any nearby homes or businesses had cameras facing the road, they might have recorded crucial footage. If none of that data has been gathered, the most accurate version of events may already be slipping away.

What appears to be a straightforward crash rarely is. To get real answers, someone has to take a closer look at the details that most people miss.

• Late-night crashes require more than a basic review to find real answers.
• Mechanical problems could explain why the driver lost control.
• Data from the vehicle or nearby sources could fill in the missing details.