1 Injured in Car Accident on State Highway 137 near Big Lake, TX

Reagan County, TX — December 13, 2024, one person was injured in a car accident at about 3:05 p.m. on State Highway 137 near Big Lake.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2015 Ford Transit van was headed north near Friend Road when it left the road for an unknown reason and overturned after crashing into a fence.

The driver, a 65-year-old man from Zapata, suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities. The 26-year-old man who has a passenger in the van was not injured.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Reagan County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I read about a crash like the one in Reagan County — where a Ford Transit van veered off the highway and overturned after hitting a fence, seriously injuring the driver — it immediately brings to mind how often single-vehicle crashes are misunderstood. People tend to assume these kinds of incidents are due to driver error, but the reality is that serious crashes often involve a complex set of factors that aren’t obvious at first glance. To fully understand what happened, we have to ask three essential questions: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?

Looking at the first question, we’re told the van left the roadway and overturned, but not why. That’s a significant gap in understanding that only a detailed investigation can fill. Did the driver swerve to avoid something in the road? Was there a sudden medical issue or fatigue involved? Did the roadway itself play a role, through poor maintenance, debris or a sharp shoulder drop-off? These are questions that investigators must answer by inspecting the crash site, checking for tire marks, assessing road conditions and speaking with the uninjured passenger. However, in rural counties, it’s not uncommon for local authorities to be stretched thin, which can lead to important aspects of the crash going unexamined.

The second question is whether a defect in the vehicle could have contributed. A 2015 Ford Transit van has several mechanical and electronic systems that, if compromised, could easily cause a driver to lose control. Issues with steering, braking or suspension can arise without warning, especially in commercial-use vehicles that see a lot of mileage. Moreover, an electronic malfunction in the vehicle’s stability control or power steering system might not leave visible evidence. Unless someone preserves the vehicle and performs a forensic inspection, the role of a potential defect may never even be considered. This is especially true in single-vehicle crashes, where it’s easy to overlook mechanical failure in favor of more immediate assumptions.

Finally, we have to ask whether all relevant electronic data has been preserved. The 2015 Transit likely includes an engine control module capable of recording pre-crash data like speed, throttle position and braking behavior. That data can be essential in determining whether the driver took corrective action or whether the vehicle failed to respond. Beyond that, it’s possible the van was equipped with a GPS tracking device, especially if it was used for work. The passenger’s phone or local security cameras might also offer additional insights. But all of this information is time-sensitive and easily lost unless someone acts quickly to secure it.

At the end of the day, a crash that leaves someone seriously injured demands a full accounting of the facts, not just for the sake of closure, but to ensure that preventable issues aren’t missed or overlooked. That means we have to go beyond first impressions and make sure we’re asking the right questions, preserving critical evidence, and allowing the facts — not assumptions — to tell the story.