Pulaski County, MO — November 18, 2025, a woman lost her life due to a truck accident at approximately 9:00 p.m. along Interstate Highway 44.

According to authorities, a 48-year-old woman was in a Dodge Ram pickup truck that was at a stop for unknown reasons on the interstate near State Highway 7 when the accident occurred. Officials state that the pickup was rear-ended by a Volvo 18-wheeler. The impact caused the pickup to veer off of the left side of the roadway, striking a cable barrier.

The woman reportedly suffered fatal injuries over the course of the accident. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a passenger vehicle is stopped on an interstate and gets rear-ended by an 18-wheeler, the immediate legal focus should be on two critical questions: Why was the vehicle stopped? and Did the truck driver have a reasonable opportunity to avoid the collision? A fatal crash like this doesn’t just point to the danger of high-speed travel—it exposes the risks of inattention, poor spacing, or delayed response by commercial drivers.

At this point, it's not clear why the Dodge Ram was stopped in the lane. It could have been due to a mechanical failure, a medical emergency, or some other factor. That’s a key piece of the puzzle, but it doesn’t automatically shift responsibility onto the victim. Even when a vehicle is stopped in the roadway, federal regulations still require commercial drivers to maintain a safe following distance and keep their vehicle under control—particularly at night, when visibility is limited and reaction time is critical.

This crash occurred around 9:00 p.m., when lighting conditions would have made headlights and taillights especially important. Investigators will need to determine whether the pickup had its lights on, whether it was partially off the roadway, and whether the Volvo driver had enough time and distance to react. Black box data from the truck will help reveal how fast it was traveling, when braking began, and whether the driver made any evasive effort to avoid impact.

Another angle to consider is whether the truck was loaded and how that may have affected stopping distance. A fully loaded 18-wheeler takes considerably more space to come to a stop, and if the driver was speeding, distracted, or simply too close to begin with, that significantly increases the likelihood of a fatal outcome.

A rear-end crash by a commercial vehicle is rarely just a matter of bad luck. It typically points to a failure of attention, spacing, or compliance with safety standards—failures that become especially dangerous when they involve vehicles that outweigh everything else on the road.

Key Takeaways:

• Investigators must determine why the pickup truck was stopped and whether it had proper lighting or warning indicators active.
• Commercial drivers are expected to maintain control and react to stopped vehicles, even under low-visibility conditions.
• Black box data from the 18-wheeler will help determine speed, braking, and driver reaction time leading up to the crash.
• Responsibility often turns on whether the truck driver had sufficient distance and awareness to prevent the collision.