Keene, NY — November 17, 2025, Tracy Mauler was killed and Beverly Pickreign was injured in a truck accident at about 4 p.m. on State Route 73.

Authorities said an eastbound semi-truck jackknifed after losing control on the slushy road. A westbound Ford Escape hit the truck before a Toyota Scion clipped the trailer and crashed into a rock wall.

Ford driver Tracy Mauler, 57, of Saranac Lake died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities, while passenger Beverly Pickreign, 84, was hospitalized in critical condition.

The truck driver and the people in the Toyota were not injured, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a semi-truck jackknifed and a woman lost her life, they want to know one thing: Why did this happen? Slippery roads may be part of the story, but they’re never the whole story, and accepting that explanation at face value is exactly how important details get overlooked.

From what’s been reported, the truck jackknifed while traveling eastbound on a slushy road. A westbound SUV then hit the truck, and another car clipped the trailer and ran into a rock wall. But there’s a lot we don’t know, starting with what caused the truck to jackknife in the first place.

Jackknifing doesn’t just happen. It’s a loss of control, and the reasons behind that can vary. Was the driver going too fast for the conditions? Did the brakes lock up? Was there a mechanical failure? Or was the driver distracted or fatigued? None of that is clear yet, but these are the questions that matter when trying to understand who’s responsible.

To answer those questions, investigators need to look beyond the crash scene. The truck’s black box will show the speed, braking and steering inputs before the crash. If the truck had in-cab cameras, they could reveal whether the driver was alert and attentive, or doing something he shouldn’t have been. And cell phone records may show if he was using his phone while driving. Without that kind of evidence, it’s impossible to know whether this was a weather-related mishap or something more preventable.

It’s also important to examine the role of the trucking company. What kind of training did this driver have? How long had he been on the road that day? Did the company have policies for driving in winter weather, or did they just expect him to press on no matter what? In past cases, I’ve seen companies put drivers in impossible situations, pushing them to meet deadlines even in dangerous conditions. When that happens, it’s not just the driver who’s accountable. It’s the people who sent him out there in the first place.

At the end of the day, a woman lost her life and another person was critically hurt. That demands a thorough investigation; not just to find out what happened, but to make sure the right parties are held accountable based on what the evidence shows.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear why the truck jackknifed; possible factors include speed, distraction, equipment failure or poor judgment.
• Critical evidence includes engine control module (“black box”) data, dash cam footage and cell phone records.
• The trucking company’s training, scheduling and weather protocols may also be relevant.
• Responsibility can’t be assigned until all the evidence is gathered and analyzed.
• A proper investigation must look beyond the scene to uncover systemic or avoidable causes.