Bonner County, ID — April 2, 2025, two people were injured in a truck accident at about 4:50 p.m. on Interstate 95 near mile marker 470.

Authorities said a 2013 Mercedes-Benz was headed north on I-95 when it collided with a southbound 2020 Peterbilt semi-truck. The crash left the truck disabled in the road, while the Mercedes ended up on the shoulder of the southbound lane.

The Mercedes driver, a 72-year-old man from Austin, TX, and his passenger, a 74-year-old woman, were hospitalized with undisclosed injuries after the crash, according to authorities. The truck driver was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bonner County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

Crashes involving vehicles crossing the center line on two-lane highways like Interstate 95 through Bonner County are often described in simple terms — “a head-on collision” or “a lane departure” — but the legal questions behind them are anything but simple. In this case, a northbound Mercedes reportedly collided with a southbound Peterbilt semi-truck, resulting in injuries to the car’s occupants and leaving the truck disabled in the road.

The first issue investigators will need to determine is how and why the two vehicles came into contact. Did the Mercedes veer into the truck’s lane, or did the truck cross into the northbound lane? That detail changes everything about the legal analysis. And while the truck driver wasn’t injured, that doesn’t automatically mean he wasn’t involved in causing the collision.

On roads like this, even a momentary distraction or miscalculation can lead to devastating consequences. Investigators should be reviewing skid marks, gouge marks and final vehicle positions to reconstruct who crossed the center line. In addition, ECM data from the truck and any available dashcam footage will help clarify whether either vehicle made an evasive maneuver, or failed to.

It’s also worth examining the road itself. Was there a curve, elevation change or visual obstruction that might have contributed to one vehicle drifting? Was weather a factor? These external conditions are critical because they shape what “reasonable care” looks like in the moments leading up to the crash. What matters in court isn’t just where the vehicles ended up, but whether either driver acted with the caution required for the situation.

Even if the Mercedes initiated the lane departure, it’s still important to evaluate the truck driver’s speed, attentiveness and response time. Commercial drivers are trained to anticipate and respond to hazards. That doesn’t mean they can prevent every crash, but it does mean they’re expected to act in a way that minimizes risk wherever possible.

With two people hospitalized and a commercial vehicle left disabled on the highway, the consequences here were serious. The goal now should be to figure out not just what happened, but why it happened, and whether better decisions, better planning, or better awareness could have made the difference. That’s how accountability is established.