Amarillo, TX — June 21, 2025, Sara Back and Kathy Crawford were injured in a car accident at about 10:30 a.m. on Coulter Street South.

A preliminary accident report indicates that a 2012 Cadillac STS was headed east on SW 77th Avenue when it collided with a northbound 2020 Chevrolet Spark on Coulter Street South. The impact caused the Spark to overturn.

Chevrolet driver Sara Back, 44, and Kathy Crawford, 74, a passenger in the Cadillac, were seriously injured in the crash, according to the report.

The Cadillac driver, an 80-year-old man, was listed as possibly injured, the report states.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

After a serious crash, questions linger long after the debris is cleared. People naturally wonder how such a violent collision occurred in broad daylight and what might have prevented it. Moments like these call for a closer look—not just at what happened, but at how thoroughly it’s been understood.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? When a vehicle overturns, especially in a collision between two cars moving at different angles, the physical dynamics are complex. A solid investigation would need more than just photographs and chalk marks. It should involve a detailed reconstruction, possibly using 3D mapping or crash simulation tools, to understand vehicle speeds, angles of impact and whether any evasive maneuvers were attempted. The age of the drivers, as well as possible health or response-time issues, should also be examined with care. But that kind of diligence depends heavily on the training and resources of the investigating officers. Unfortunately, the reality is that not every agency brings the same level of scrutiny to the table.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Crashes involving older model vehicles, like a 2012 or earlier, raise valid concerns about mechanical integrity. A sudden brake failure, faulty steering or even a malfunctioning sensor system could shift responsibility in unexpected ways. Similarly, newer vehicles, though often assumed to be safer, still present risks if their automated features misfire or if past recalls were ignored. Without a full mechanical inspection of both vehicles, it's hard to rule out the role of defects.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? In newer vehicles especially, onboard systems often store key data about speed, braking and steering in the seconds before impact. That data can confirm or contradict what drivers recall, especially useful when one of them might have been injured or disoriented. Beyond that, GPS history, phone use records and nearby traffic or business surveillance cameras can all add pieces to the puzzle. But unless investigators specifically pull and analyze that data, those insights may never surface.

When a crash causes this level of harm, it's never enough to just log it and move on. Full accountability comes from asking deeper questions and making sure every angle — human, mechanical and digital — gets the attention it deserves.

Key Takeaways:

• Serious crashes call for full-scale investigations, not just surface-level reports.
• Older and newer vehicles alike can fail in hidden ways so mechanical reviews are essential.
• Electronic data often holds answers that can't be seen at the crash scene.