Cooke County, TX — January 21, 2025, Thomas Jardine was injured as the result of a car accident at around 2:52 a.m. along Interstate 35.

Authorities say that the incident happened on the south side of town just off Exit 486 at Easy Street.

Initial details about the accident say that 29-year-old Thomas Jardine was in an Infiniti going northbound along the interstate. The vehicle somehow left its lane, resulting in the vehicle hitting a guardrail and overturning.

Due to the crash, Thomas Jardine sustained serious injuries. There did not appear to be anyone else involved in the accident. Right now, additional details are unavailable.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

One of the challenges with single-vehicle wrecks is not every department treats them as a high priority. This sometimes leaves officers in a position where they have to jump to conclusions because they're not given the time or tools needed to do a careful, thorough investigation. This is why it can be crucial to follow up with them and make sure they're working to actually get clear evidence.

The first step is finding out whether the crash scene was carefully documented. A 2:52 a.m. wreck means limited visibility and fewer witnesses, which makes small but important details—like tire marks, vehicle position, or road surface conditions—easier to overlook. If officers were stretched thin or didn’t have the time to conduct a full reconstruction, critical evidence may already be gone.

It’s also important to ask whether a vehicle defect may have contributed to the crash. Issues like faulty steering, brake failure, or tire blowouts can cause a driver to lose control without warning. These types of defects aren’t always obvious and require a close inspection of the vehicle. If no one preserves the victim's vehicle for further analysis, any sign of a defect could be lost permanently.

Finally, has all electronic data been collected? Modern vehicles typically record event data that can show vehicle speed, braking, and steering input in the seconds before the crash. Cell phone records or nearby surveillance footage may also provide insight into what was happening. That kind of evidence needs to be secured quickly—before it's overwritten, deleted, or disappears entirely.

If it seems like authorities are able to answer these concerns adequately, it's likely because they were thorough in their investigations. But if the answers come up short, that gives victims and families an opportunity to seek out a second opinion. That way, they know they're getting the answers they deserve.