Whitman County, WA — January 30, 2026, Angelina D’Amato was killed and Victor Long was injured in a truck accident at about 1:30 p.m. on Albion Road.
Authorities said a vehicle was heading west when it was hit by a semi-truck going south on U.S. Route 195.
A passenger in the vehicle, 22-year-old Angelina D’Amato, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash west of Albion, according to authorities.
Driver Victor Long, 20, was flown to an area hospital with critical injuries, authorities said.
The truck driver was not hurt, according to authorities.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Whitman County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people read about a crash like this, the first reaction is usually confusion. How does a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle end up colliding at an intersection in the middle of the day? Who had the right of way? And are we actually being told enough to understand what went wrong?
Right now, the public details raise more questions than answers. We’re told a vehicle was traveling west and was struck by a semi-truck heading south on U.S. Route 195. That description alone doesn’t explain why the collision happened. It’s not clear whether the semi-truck failed to yield, whether one of the vehicles ran a stop sign or signal or whether sightlines, speed or timing played a role. Without that context, it’s impossible to understand responsibility.
One of the first things I would want to know is what the truck driver was doing in the moments before impact. Was the truck slowing, accelerating or maintaining speed as it approached the intersection? That information should be captured by the truck’s engine control module, often called the black box. That data can show speed, braking, throttle input and other critical details that don’t rely on anyone’s memory.
It’s also unknown whether the truck was equipped with dash cameras or inward-facing cameras. Many commercial trucks are. If video exists, it can answer basic but essential questions: when each vehicle entered the intersection, whether traffic controls were obeyed and whether distraction played any role. If distraction is a concern, cell phone records can confirm whether the driver was actively using a phone at the time.
Another unanswered issue is the intersection itself. We don’t yet know what traffic controls were in place or whether visibility was obstructed. Depending on whether this was a stop-controlled crossing or a signalized one, different legal questions arise about duty and right of way. These are not assumptions that can be made from a brief crash summary; they require on-site investigation and measurements.
Finally, the focus shouldn’t stop with the individual driver. A proper investigation also looks at the trucking company’s role. Was the driver properly trained for this route? Was the driver within hours-of-service limits? Were there any prior safety issues that should have been addressed before this truck was ever on the road? I’ve seen cases where those background facts mattered far more than what happened in the last five seconds before impact.
At this stage, the only honest conclusion is that we don’t yet have the whole story. Determining what actually caused this crash will depend on preserving and analyzing the available evidence, not speculation and not assumptions.
Key Takeaways
- The basic description of the crash does not explain why the collision occurred or who failed to yield.
- Black box data, camera footage and phone records are critical to understanding the truck driver’s actions.
- The design and control of the intersection may play a key role in determining fault.
- A full investigation must examine not just the driver, but also the trucking company’s practices and oversight.
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