Boerne, TX — August 31, 2025, Saul Pineda-Zamora was killed in a single-car accident at about 2 a.m. on Herff Road near State Highway 46.

Authorities said a 2008 Nissan Altima was headed north on Herff Road when it crashed into a tree in the center median.

Driver Saul Pineda-Zamora, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When someone loses their life in a sudden crash, there’s a natural urge to make sense of what happened, especially when the details are limited. It's easy to assume the surface story is the whole story. But in serious accidents like this one, a deeper look is always warranted.

Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? In a crash where a single vehicle leaves the roadway and hits a tree, investigators often default to assumptions about speed or distraction. But meaningful investigation takes more than a quick survey of the scene. Was the crash reconstructed using mapping tools? Did officers dig into the driver’s activities earlier in the night or consider factors like fatigue? Not every agency has the training or bandwidth to go that far, especially at odd hours like 2 a.m. That leaves real gaps in understanding what led up to the impact.

Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? When a car strikes a stationary object, mechanical failure needs to be ruled out, not just assumed away. A 2008 Nissan is old enough that worn components or failing systems could come into play. Brake issues, stuck accelerators, even steering malfunctions aren’t out of the question. But unless the vehicle is preserved and thoroughly inspected, those clues can vanish quickly, along with any chance to spot a hidden cause.

Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected? Even older vehicles may hold valuable data in their engine control modules, and phones or aftermarket GPS units can offer crucial insight into what was happening moments before the crash. Did the driver brake? Was there sudden acceleration? Was the car drifting beforehand? Without pulling that electronic trail, too many questions get left behind, and assumptions fill the void.

As with many single-car accidents, it’s tempting to treat the outcome as self-explanatory. But assuming the cause without pressing for answers risks missing vital truths; not just for those closest to the event, but for the broader effort to prevent future tragedies.

Key Takeaways:

• A full crash reconstruction helps uncover what really happened.
• Older vehicles can fail in ways that aren’t obvious without inspection.
• Phones and onboard data often tell a more complete story than the scene alone.