Quincy, WA — June 7, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 3:15 a.m. on State Route 281 in Grant County.

Authorities said a Toyota Camry was headed north near mile marker 9 when it crashed into the back of a Kenworth T880 semi-truck.

The Camry driver, a 36-year-old Quincy man, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. His name has not been made public yet.

The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Grant County crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a car rear-ended a semi-truck on the highway, the natural reaction is to assume the car’s driver must be at fault. But those assumptions can be dangerously misleading, especially when the only thing we know for certain is that someone lost their life.

The truth is, a rear-end collision involving a passenger vehicle and a tractor-trailer raises a whole set of unanswered questions that investigators need to look into carefully. Without those answers, it’s impossible to say what really happened, let alone who’s responsible.

One of the most basic, but most important, questions in a case like this is whether the 18-wheeler was moving at the time of the crash. If the truck was driving normally and the car came up behind it at highway speed, that would suggest one kind of scenario. But if the truck had slowed unexpectedly or was stopped in a lane of travel, especially in the dark of early morning, then different liability questions arise.

Truck visibility is also a big issue in early morning crashes. Was the trailer properly lit or marked with reflective tape? Did the car driver have a fair chance to see the truck in time to avoid it?

Right now, authorities haven’t shared many details. But that doesn’t mean the evidence isn’t out there. Most modern trucks are equipped with an engine control module (ECM), often called the truck’s “black box,” which records data like speed, brake use and throttle position leading up to a crash. That can help answer critical questions: How fast was the truck going? Was it slowing down or stopped? Was it parked illegally on the shoulder or blocking a lane?

Cell phone records can also shed light on whether either driver was distracted. In-cab cameras, if present, might show whether the trucker was aware of an issue or was caught off guard. Even dash cams from passing vehicles could help put together the timeline.

At this point, we don’t know the answers. But someone should be asking the questions, and making sure the investigation gets to the bottom of it. That’s how accountability works in the real world.

Key Takeaways

• It’s not yet clear whether the truck was moving or stopped when the crash happened, an essential fact for understanding fault.
• Key evidence may include black box data, cell phone records and visibility conditions at the scene.
• Trucking company policies could be relevant depending on how and why the truck was positioned when the crash occurred.
• Assumptions based on vehicle type (e.g., blaming the rear vehicle) are premature without a full investigation.
• A thorough, evidence-based review is the only way to understand what really happened and who’s responsible.