Abilene, TX — September 10, 2025, Bryan Newsom was killed in a box truck accident at about 5:30 p.m. on eastbound Interstate 20.
Authorities said a 2016 Toyota Camry crashed into the back of a 2018 Freightliner box truck near exit 292.
Toyota driver Brian Newsom, 41, of Weatherford was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Taylor County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear that someone died in a crash involving the back of a box truck, their first instinct is often to blame the driver who hit the truck. But that reaction skips over a lot of important questions, questions that matter if we really want to understand how this crash happened and who might be responsible.
Authorities say a Toyota Camry crashed into the rear of a Freightliner box truck on I-20, but they haven’t said anything yet about whether that truck was moving or stopped, whether it had working lights or whether it was pulled over on the shoulder or still in the flow of traffic. Each of those details makes a big difference. For instance, if the truck was pulled over improperly or had defective rear lighting, then blaming the person who hit it wouldn’t be fair or accurate.
It’s also not clear what the truck driver was doing at the time of the crash. Was he slowing down suddenly? Making a last-minute lane change? Something like that could have left the other driver with little time to react. These kinds of questions can’t be answered just by looking at skid marks or vehicle damage. That’s why experienced investigators look beyond the scene itself: to things like the truck’s black box (engine control module) data, dash cam footage and even the driver’s cell phone records. These tell us whether the truck slowed down, changed lanes or if the driver was distracted.
In rear-end crashes involving commercial trucks, I’ve also seen problems arise from poor hiring and training. Some companies cut corners by putting inexperienced or poorly screened drivers behind the wheel of large trucks, including box trucks. And when they do, they’re not just rolling the dice with cargo. They’re gambling with people’s lives.
Until we get more facts, we shouldn’t assume this was just a case of a driver “not paying attention.” That may end up being true, but you only know that after asking the right questions and getting answers backed by real evidence.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s not clear whether the box truck was moving, stopped or parked at the time of the crash. Each scenario raises different legal questions.
- Investigators should review black box data, dash cams and cell phone records to understand what both drivers were doing in the moments before the crash.
- A truck’s lighting, visibility and location (especially on a highway shoulder) play a crucial role in rear-end collisions.
- Hiring practices and driver training by the trucking company may also come under scrutiny, depending on what further investigation reveals.
- Jumping to conclusions before the full investigation is done risks blaming the wrong person.
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