Greene County, OH — July 2, 2025, three people were injured as the result of a semi-truck accident at around 5:30 p.m. along US Highway 35.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol gave initial details surrounding the accident, which reportedly happened near the US 35 and US 42 interchange.

According to troopers, a pickup with a trailer was along the side of the road after running out of gas. One person was outside of the truck refilling the tank. While there, a semi-truck coming around a curve reportedly did not avoid the parked truck, crashing into it. The person outside the vehicle reportedly was thrown over a guardrail.

Due to the accident, the person who was thrown over the guardrail had possibly serious injuries. Another person in the parked vehicle and one person from the semi-truck had unspecified injuries, as well. Right now, further details remain unconfirmed.

Commentary

In some of the preliminary reports, there's a lot of speculation on difference factors which could have contributed to the accident. It's absolutely crucial all possibilities are thoroughly considered and that investigations aren't too narrow in scope. Otherwise, it could leave too much room for doubts and blame-shifting.

Having handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases, I've often seen authorities overlook very important questions. What were road conditions like? Were there issues with visibility? Have investigators pulled Engine Control Module data? Have they secured cell phone records? Is there dash cam video that needs to be preserved? Did anyone laser map the scene and map the debris patterns? Have the vehicles been inspected for potential defects? Did commercial drivers involved get a thorough background check to see if they have a history of reckless driving?

These are all questions which can be time-sensitive. This is why victims and families generally fare best when investigations are as prompt as possible. Ultimately, authorities may end up covering all the bases. However, taking that for granted without having a second set of eyes look things over is sometimes just asking for crucial details to slip through the cracks.