San Juan, TX — August 4, 2025, Paula Pamatz was injured in a truck accident at about 4:25 p.m. in the 4000 block of Owassa Road.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2016 Freightliner semi-truck was backing out of a private driveway when its trailer was hit by a 2017 Kia Forte that was going west on Owassa Road.

Kia driver Paula Pamatz, 29, was seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

The truck driver, who was not hurt, was cited for backing up unsafely, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a car hit the side of a trailer as it backed out of a driveway, one obvious question comes to mind: How is a truck allowed to back into a busy roadway without warning or protection? That’s not just a question of common sense. It’s one that gets to the heart of responsibility in a crash like this.

According to early reports, a Freightliner 18-wheeler was backing out of a private driveway along Owassa Road when a westbound car ran into the side of its trailer. The truck driver has already been cited for backing unsafely, but that’s just the start of what needs to be answered.

For example, it’s not clear whether the truck was fully blocking the road or if the car had a chance to see it and stop. That’s critical. Depending on whether the truck was just starting to move or already stretched across the lane, different legal questions arise. If the driver backed out blindly across the roadway — especially during the late afternoon, when traffic and visibility issues can overlap — then that’s a serious failure of basic trucking protocol.

The next step in any responsible investigation is to get hold of the truck’s engine control module (ECM) and any in-cab camera footage, if available. That data can show when the truck started moving, how fast it was going and whether the driver hesitated before entering the roadway. If the truck has backup alarms or warning lights, investigators will want to know whether those were working and in use at the time.

I’ve handled cases like this where the truck driver had no business attempting a blind reverse maneuver in a high-traffic area. But it’s not just about the driver. The trucking company may also have questions to answer: Was the driver properly trained? Did the company allow unsafe routing into locations that require backing across public roads? In a recent case I tried, we found that the driver had never even been shown the correct procedure for backing out of a facility safely. It turned out the company never offered any training beyond a short video and a road test. That’s not enough when you’re operating 70 feet of steel.

Until all that evidence is reviewed, including dash cam footage from any surrounding vehicles and phone records to rule out distractions, we won’t have the full picture. But a citation for unsafe backing is often just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the full scope of fault.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear whether the trailer was fully blocking the road when the car approached, which is a crucial detail for determining fault.
• Investigators should review the truck’s ECM data, any backup alarms and in-cab camera footage to understand exactly how the backing maneuver was carried out.
• Trucking company policies and driver training practices may also play a role in how this crash happened.
• A full investigation will help determine whether this was a one-off mistake by the driver or part of a broader pattern of negligence.