Monroe County, MO — August 23, 2025, two people were killed in an evening truck accident at the intersection of State Route 154 and State Route 106.

Authorities said a southbound Ford Escape collided with a westbound 1999 Kenworth semi-truck west of Perry on State Route 154.

The Ford driver, a 46-year-old Hallsville man, and a 49-year-old woman riding with him were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. Their names have not been made public yet.

The truck driver was not hurt, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a deadly crash between a semi-truck and a smaller vehicle, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: How exactly did these two vehicles end up colliding in the middle of an intersection? Based on the brief details reported, we know a Ford Escape was traveling south while a semi-truck was heading west. That tells us the crash happened at or near a crossroads, but it doesn’t tell us who had the right of way, or why they didn’t yield it.

At this point, there are a lot of unanswered questions. Did either vehicle run a stop sign or red light? Was either driver speeding or distracted? Did either vehicle fail to yield, misjudge the other’s speed or make a dangerous turn? We don’t know yet, and without that information, it’s impossible to assign responsibility.

Getting to the truth of what happened requires more than just the police report. The truck’s engine control module, or “black box,” can tell us how fast it was going, whether the brakes were applied and if any evasive maneuvers were attempted. If the truck had in-cab cameras or GPS data, those could help show whether the driver was paying attention or following the rules of the road. Investigators should also look into the trucker’s driving history and whether the company that hired him had proper safety procedures in place. After all, it’s one thing for a driver to make a mistake. It’s another when a company puts someone behind the wheel who had no business being there.

I’ve worked on cases before where the crash at first seemed to be caused by a single driver’s mistake. But once we dug into the company’s hiring policies, training records and supervision practices, it became clear the company had ignored multiple red flags. A thorough investigation doesn't just help identify who was at fault. It helps make sure those at fault can’t make the same mistake again.

Key Takeaways:

• It's not yet clear who had the right of way or what caused the crash at this intersection.
• Important evidence — like black box data, dash cam footage and driver cell phone records — can help explain what really happened.
• Investigators should examine the truck driver’s history and whether the trucking company had proper hiring and training policies.
• Assigning responsibility in a crash like this requires more than surface-level answers; it takes a deep dive into all the contributing factors.