1 Injured in 18-Wheeler Accident on Route BB in Audrain County, MO

Audrain County, MO — April 5, 2025, One person was injured following an 18-wheeler accident that Friday morning on Route BB.

An investigation is underway following  an 18-wheeler accident that left one person injured during the morning hours of April 5th. According to official reports, an 18-wheeler operated by a 47-year-old man was traveling on Route BB near Route AA when for unknown reasons the truck veered off the right side of the roadway, resulting the truck overcorrecting and losing control. The semi then left the roadway on the left side where it then struck a tree.

When first responders arrived on the scene, they found that the driver had sustained serious injuries and he was transported to the hospital for treatment. At this time there has been no further information released about the accident, including the identity and status of the driver’s injuries. However this remains an ongoing investigation and more details may be released in the future.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When I see a report about a crash where an 18-wheeler veers off the road, overcorrects, and ultimately crashes, one thing becomes clear to me—something went seriously wrong before that truck ever hit the tree. The question is, what was it?

In cases like this, it’s common to assume the driver simply lost control. Maybe he fell asleep. Maybe he made a mistake. But in my experience, those answers are rarely complete. There’s a big difference between identifying the moment the truck left the road and understanding what caused it to happen.

To figure that out, investigators need more than just measurements from the crash scene. They need to examine the truck’s engine control module (ECM)—the onboard computer that can show how fast the truck was going, whether the brakes were applied, and what steering input the driver made in the seconds before the crash. That information can help determine if the driver was reacting to something unexpected or if a mechanical issue played a role.

Investigators should also look into what the driver was doing leading up to the crash. Was he on the phone? Did he have enough rest before starting his route? Was there a medical issue that caused the truck to drift off the road? These are questions that can’t be answered without cell phone records, dashcam footage, or at times, medical evaluations.

And then there’s the truck itself. I’ve seen situations where steering or brake failures were missed during routine inspections or not repaired due to cost-cutting. If something like that happened here, then this isn’t just about the driver—it may also be about whether his employer properly maintained the vehicle.

In short, this isn’t just about a truck hitting a tree. It’s about understanding the chain of events that led to that outcome. And that requires going beyond the crash scene. Without a deeper investigation, the real cause may never come to light.