1 Injured in Truck Accident on State Route 6 near Ewing, MO

Lewis County, MO — July 7, 2025, one person was injured in a truck accident at about 3:05 p.m. on State Route 6 east of Ewing.

Authorities said an eastbound Ford F-350 collided with a westbound 2025 Peterbilt semi-truck, and a 2011 Cadillac CTS hit debris from the crash.

The Ford driver, a 37-year-old Hannibal man whose name has not been made public yet, was seriously injured in the crash, according to authorities.

No other injuries were reported.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Lewis County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear about a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler colliding head-on, followed by a third vehicle hitting debris, their first question is usually the right one: How did this happen? And based on the limited details available so far, there’s still no clear answer.

The most urgent unknown here is whether the semi-truck crossed the center line or whether the pickup somehow entered the oncoming lane. That detail alone would dramatically shift how we evaluate fault. As of now, authorities haven’t said who initiated the collision path, and without that information, we can’t jump to conclusions.

If the semi did cross over, we need to understand why. Was the driver distracted, possibly using a phone? That can often be confirmed through call records or data from an in-cab camera if one was installed. Was the driver fatigued? The truck’s engine control module might show how long the driver had been behind the wheel and how fast the truck was traveling. If the truck drifted out of its lane, that might also show up in lane departure warnings or sudden steering corrections.

Even if the pickup drifted into the truck’s lane, that doesn’t mean there’s no further scrutiny for the trucking company. It’s worth asking: Did the driver have a clean history? Was he adequately trained? I’ve worked on cases where a trucking company hired someone with multiple terminations and barely tested their skills before putting them on the road. If something like that happened here, that could mean the company made an already dangerous job more dangerous through poor hiring and oversight.

And while the Cadillac that hit debris wasn’t part of the initial impact, its involvement raises another legal consideration. Depending on how debris was scattered or whether a secondary collision could’ve been avoided, liability might extend beyond just the two original vehicles.

Right now, we’re left with a lot of unanswered questions, and that’s exactly why a thorough investigation matters. Technology on board the truck, records from both drivers and physical evidence from the crash scene can fill in these gaps. Without them, it’s impossible to say who should be held responsible or how this crash could have been prevented.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not clear whether the semi-truck or the pickup entered the wrong lane; each scenario implies very different legal responsibilities.
• Evidence like black box data, phone records and in-cab camera footage may help establish what the semi-truck driver was doing at the time.
• The trucking company’s hiring and training practices could come under scrutiny, especially if the driver wasn’t properly vetted.
• The Cadillac’s involvement with crash debris raises separate questions about responsibility and how far liability might extend.
• Full accountability hinges on independent investigation and access to key digital and physical evidence.