Blanco County, TX — December 20, 2024, Robert Baylis was injured as the result of a semi-truck accident at around 3:18 a.m. on U.S. Highway 281.

Investigators said that the incident took place near Poenisch Ranch Road, a few miles south of Blanco.

According to officials, 68-year-old Robert Baylis was in a Dodge Ram going northbound along U.S. 281. Authorities said there was a tractor-trailer going southbound which turned left when unsafe, and details also claim the truck was disabled in a lane of travel. Because of this, police say, Baylis's vehicle crashed into the semi-truck.

Due to the accident, Robert Baylis sustained serious injuries. No other injuries were reported. Additional details about the crash are unavailable at this time.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

While these exact events are a bit vague, it seems clear that authorities think the truck driver here made mistakes. If that's what happened here, people may think that makes things open-and-shut. However, commercial truck wrecks are rarely ever that simple. A proper investigation has to include thorough investigations into decisions made both during the wreck and before the wreck. In my experience, it's common for truck accidents to involve reckless employers who made a truck driver's mistakes all but inevitable.

Let me explain. I've handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases. Sometimes, companies push drivers to meet unreasonable deadlines. They may encourage drivers to speed, make reckless maneuvers, or exceed their hours of service. Trucking companies can rush inexperienced drivers through training to get them on the road sooner. Other times, they allow drivers with a history of reckless behavior behind the wheel just to have trucks on the road. Maintenance issues can also arise if trucking companies put off routine repairs in an effort to minimize downtime, resulting in sudden but entirely preventable breakdowns.

If a trucking company prioritizes their own selfish priorities over safety, people are going to get hurt—plain and simple. That's why it's important that investigators dig beyond the surface and make sure any mistakes like that are brought to light and addressed properly. That's not just a public service, but rather it's good for victims and families affected by serious truck wrecks.

Over the years, I can't recall a single family I've helped who would have been content to just have some "bad guy" to blame. People want to see accountability. That means ensuring there are appropriate consequences for all wrongdoers, and that means taking any possible steps to help ensure other families won't suffer the same harms. So as open-and-shut as these preliminary details may seem, there could still be a lot more to this story.