Man Injured in 18-wheeler Accident on I-35 near Exit 12B in Laredo, TX

Basic Facts

Crash date: 5-22-2026

Crash location: I-35 near Exit 12B, Laredo, Webb County, TX

People involved:

• Unidentified Man, 35
• Unidentified Man, 25
• Unidentified Man, 41

Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash?: Unknown

Did authorities recommend criminal charges?: Yes

Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash?: Unknown

Accident Report

May 22, 2026, a man sustained injuries due to an 18-wheeler accident that happened around 6:51 p.m. along Interstate 35.

Authorities said in preliminary statements that the crash happened along northbound lanes of the interstate on the north side of the city.

It appears that a 25-year-old Laredo man was in a Freightliner tractor-trailer going northbound on I-35. Another 18-wheeler was going the same direction when it reportedly failed to control speed. This led to a crash with the Laredo man’s truck and a Volvo semi-truck.

Due to the accident, the Laredo man in the first 18-wheeler reportedly had serious injuries. Other injuries weren’t confirmed. Authorities recommended charging the second truck driver for failure to control speed.

No further information is available at this time.

How Did This Accident Occur?

Authorities say an 18-wheeler failed to control speed. However, they didn’t mention any factors that would explain why that mistake occurred. Even if the initial allegations are true, that’s not enough of an explanation to truly ensure there’s accountability and to get the full story. I’ve been a part of literally hundreds of commercial vehicle accident investigations, and what I’ve seen is something most responsible truckers know, as well: truck wrecks like this often begin behind the scenes with the drivers’ employers. Let me explain.

A lot of mistakes that lead to accidents like this are the result of unsafe working conditions or failure in training or supervision. For example, I handled a case not long ago where a truck driver caused a severe crash after being behind the wheel for over 20 hours straight. That was obviously reckless, but authorities began and ended their investigations at the scene. That was a mistake.

What authorities missed, and what our independent investigations brought to light, was that driver’s employer pressuring drivers to meet unreasonable deadlines. They had to skip rest breaks, speed, rush through lights, make dangerous u-turns, and otherwise cut every corner possible to save time. Drivers who did so were rewarded. Drivers who took the time to be safe risked losing their jobs. Inevitably, this was going to lead to a mistake, but that company simply cared more about productivity than the safety of their own drivers or the public at large.

I wish I could say that example was unusual. Every experienced trucker I know, however, has their own horror stories about trucking companies that engage in similar behavior. That’s why accidents like this shouldn’t be written off as just some reckless individual driver without proper investigations.

Once there’s been a proper look at all possible contributing factors, evidence might show the crash traces back to one person’s mistake. It could even be this was some one-in-a-million unavoidable crash involving something like a vehicle defect. But if this whole thing was foreseeable and preventable, it’s important that the consequences reflect that. Victims and families deserve to see accountability, but they also deserve to know the issues that harmed them won’t go on to harm others.

Any truckers out there seen or heard of companies setting the stage for accidents like this? Share your stories in the comments.