Johnson County, TX — July 3, 2024, Timothy May and two others were injured in a car accident at approximately 5:00 p.m. along Farm to Market 917.

According to authorities, 57-year-old Timothy May was traveling in a northeast bound Isuzu Ascender SUV on F.M. 917 in the vicinity of the Oakview Court intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for reasons yet to be confirmed, a northbound Chevrolet Suburban occupied by a 16-year-old boy and a 10-year-old child exited a private drive at an apparently unsafe time, failing to yield the right-of-way to roadway traffic. A collision consequently occurred between the front-end of the Isuzu and the left side of the Suburban. The impact caused the Suburban to overturn, coming to a stop resting on its right side.

All three—May, the teen driver, and the child—reportedly sustained serious injuries over the course of the accident; they were each transported to area medical facilities by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.

Commentary

Crashes involving young drivers always bring an extra layer of concern, not just because of inexperience, but because the facts often take a backseat to assumptions. When a vehicle exits a private drive and ends up overturned, it’s worth pausing to ask whether everything that should have been investigated actually was.

1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
Given that three people were seriously hurt and a vehicle rolled over, the stakes for a proper investigation are high. Were measurements taken to determine each vehicle’s speed and angle of impact? Did officers evaluate tire marks, vehicle resting positions, and scene debris to reconstruct what happened? These steps are crucial to separate perception from fact—especially when the driver is a minor and might not be able to fully explain the moments before impact. Unfortunately, thoroughness can vary depending on who’s doing the work and how much time they have to do it.

2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
A Suburban tipping over in a crash raises the question of whether something more than driver error contributed. Was the suspension compromised? Did the steering system fail or behave unpredictably? It’s also possible that the Isuzu’s brakes or safety systems didn’t respond as designed. Mechanical inspections of both vehicles are essential here—not just to assess damage, but to understand whether hidden failures had a role in the collision or the severity of injuries.

3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Event data from both vehicles could fill in key blanks. If the Suburban’s system recorded the teen’s actions—acceleration, braking, wheel input—it could clarify whether the entrance into traffic was truly abrupt or if there was a misjudgment in timing. The Isuzu’s data might confirm how its driver responded in those critical seconds. And with minors involved, mobile phone usage data could also be relevant, though it’s often overlooked unless someone specifically requests it.

When a crash involves young occupants and serious injuries, it’s easy for people to focus only on surface blame. But that doesn’t bring clarity—and it certainly doesn’t prevent future harm. Only a complete look at all the evidence can do that.

Takeaways:

• Crashes involving minors require especially thorough crash scene analysis.
• Vehicle rollovers suggest possible mechanical or stability issues that need to be ruled out.
• Black box data and phone records may reveal key pre-crash decisions and reactions.