Wayne County, MO — July 26, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 2:30 p.m. on U.S. Route 67.

Authorities said a northbound semi-truck and a southbound pickup collided near Greenville.

The pickup driver, a 61-year-old Poplar Bluff woman, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

No other injuries were reported.

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

Commentary

When people hear that a pickup and a semi-truck collided head-on on a highway like U.S. Route 67, killing one person, their first question is usually, “How could that happen?” Unfortunately, based on the limited details available, we don’t yet have a clear answer.

The report mentions that one vehicle was headed north, the other south, and they collided near Greenville. But it doesn’t say where exactly the impact occurred: was it in the northbound lane, the southbound lane, or straddling the center line? Without knowing that, we can’t say who crossed into whose path or why.

If the semi-truck veered into the opposite lane, that raises serious questions about what was going on in the cab. Was the driver distracted or fatigued? Was he looking at his phone? Did he suffer a medical episode? Was there a mechanical failure? These are the kinds of questions that only a thorough investigation can answer: by examining black box data, dash cam footage and cell phone records, as well as interviewing witnesses and reviewing driver logs.

On the other hand, if the pickup crossed into the truck’s lane, investigators would need to find out why. Was the driver trying to pass another vehicle? Was there some kind of road hazard? Or could it have been a loss of control due to a mechanical issue or medical emergency?

It’s also unclear what kind of vehicle the truck was—whether it was hauling a load or running empty. That matters too. A fully loaded truck behaves very differently from an empty one, and cargo issues can sometimes contribute to loss of control. Was the cargo properly loaded and secured? Did anything shift? Without answers to these questions, there’s still a lot we don’t know.

Key Takeaways:

• It's not yet clear which vehicle crossed the center line or why.
• Evidence like dash cam footage, black box data and phone records are key to getting answers.
• Cargo issues or mechanical problems could have played a role, but that hasn't been confirmed.
• A complete investigation is needed before anyone can say who is truly responsible.