Marshalltown, IA — February 4, 2025, Carlos Hernandez-Caro was killed in a truck accident at about 6:30 a.m. at Iowa Avenue and 18th Avenue.
Authorities said a pickup crashed into the back end of a semi-truck at the intersection.
Pickup driver Carlos Hernandez-Caro, 28, was hospitalized with injuries sustained in the crash, according to authorities. The Guymon, OK resident died February 10.
The truck driver was not injured.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Marshall County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Rear-end collisions often lead people to assume that the driver in the back was entirely at fault. While that may turn out to be true here, my experience handling truck accident cases has shown that these crashes are often more complicated than they first appear. The key question in this case isn’t just who hit whom, but why the crash happened in the first place.
One important issue is visibility. This crash happened early in the morning, likely before sunrise. Were the semi-truck’s taillights and reflectors functioning properly? If the truck was stopped or moving slowly, did it have hazard lights on to warn approaching drivers? Poor lighting or a lack of warning signals can make it difficult for other motorists to recognize a slow-moving or stopped truck in time to react.
Speed is another critical factor. How fast was the pickup traveling before impact? Was the semi-truck accelerating from a stop or already in motion? The truck’s engine control module (ECM) data should be reviewed to determine its speed, braking and whether the driver made any sudden maneuvers that could have contributed to the crash.
Another factor to consider is road conditions. If the roads were wet or icy that morning, stopping distances would have been longer, making it harder for the pickup driver to avoid a collision. Investigators should look at weather reports and examine whether road design or other environmental factors played a role.
At this stage, there’s not enough information to say exactly what caused the crash. But if authorities only focus on the fact that one vehicle rear-ended another without examining visibility, truck positioning, speed and road conditions, critical details could be missed. A thorough investigation is necessary to determine whether this was simply driver error or if other factors contributed to the collision.
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