Dakota County, MN — January 19, 2026, a teen was killed and another was injured in a truck accident at about 3:30 p.m. in the 6800 block of County Road 320.

Authorities said a 2012 Lexus CT was hit by a westbound semi-truck while trying to turn left from Foliage Avenue just outside Northfield.

The Lexus driver, a 16-year-old boy, died from injuries suffered in the Greenvale Township crash, according to authorities, while the 16-year-old girl riding with him was flown to an area hospital with serious injuries.

The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a passenger vehicle is struck by an 18-wheeler during a left turn, the first question I ask isn’t “who had the right of way?” but “what exactly happened in the moments before impact?” That’s not just a matter of curiosity; it’s critical to understanding who, if anyone, failed to uphold their legal duty.

According to initial reports, a semi-truck traveling west on County Road 320 collided with a Lexus turning left from Foliage Avenue. A teen driver lost his life, and a passenger was seriously injured. What’s not clear is whether the truck hit the Lexus in the intersection, or if the Lexus turned into the truck’s path. Depending on that detail, the legal implications change dramatically.

If the truck was already approaching the intersection at full speed, investigators will need to know how visible the Lexus was, how fast the truck was going and whether the truck driver had time to react. Dash cams and black box (engine control module) data can help answer those questions. On the other hand, if the Lexus turned suddenly in front of a vehicle that had no chance to stop, that’s another scenario entirely.

But even in that case, a responsible investigation shouldn't stop with surface-level impressions. What was the truck driver doing at the time? Was he distracted by a cell phone? Was the truck properly maintained? These aren't far-fetched questions; they're standard parts of any serious investigation. I’ve handled more than a few cases where a truck driver seemed blameless at first, only for in-cab video or phone records to tell a very different story later on.

We also can’t ignore the role of the trucking company. If their policies, hiring decisions or training practices set a driver up to fail, that matters. In one case I handled, the crash wasn’t just about a driver’s mistake; it was about a company that overlooked red flags in his history and put him on the road anyway. These decisions don't happen in a vacuum, and they can carry serious consequences.

Ultimately, the only way to know what went wrong in this crash is to gather all the relevant evidence — vehicle data, driver logs, call records, camera footage — and follow where it leads. That’s how real accountability works.

Key Takeaways:

• It's unclear whether the truck struck the Lexus in the intersection or the Lexus turned into the truck's path. This distinction is legally significant.
• Critical evidence like ECM data, dash cam footage and phone records will be necessary to determine whether the truck driver had time to react.
• Even if the teen driver turned into the truck's path, investigators must examine whether the truck driver or his employer contributed to the outcome through distraction, poor training or other preventable factors.
• A thorough investigation is needed to identify all contributing parties, not just the drivers involved.