Grimes County, TX — January 22, 2026, Charles Ortega, Travis Morehead, and Ryan Morehead were killed after an 18-wheeler accident at 12:45 p.m. on TX-6.
Initial details about the accident say that it happened between Navasota and Hempstead near the Waller County line.
Authorities say that 45-year-old Charles Ortega, 46-year-old Travis Morehead, and 21-year-old Ryan Morehead were in a Hyundai Santa Cruz going southbound along the highway. An 18-wheeler was in the oncoming lanes when it reportedly lost control. The truck went across the median, entered southbound lanes, and crashed into the Hyundai.
Due to the collision, reports say that Charles Ortega, Travis Morehead, and Ryan Morehead all suffered fatal injuries. Reports did not confirm other injuries. At this time, a cause for the crash is unclear.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
A truck losing control and veering across a median obviously raises serious questions. It’s key that those questions aren’t limited only to what’s obvious at the scene. I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases, and the cause of accidents like this often trace back to decisions made behind the scenes before the truck driver even got behind the wheel. Let me explain.
It’s entirely possible that this crash was sudden and unavoidable. Investigators should be able to inspect the driver, the truck, and the roadway. That can help rule out things like sudden tire failure, a manufacturing defect, a medical emergency, and road hazards, for example.
More common, though, is that there was an avoidable mistake . Was the truck going too fast? Was the truck not properly maintained? Did unsecured cargo shift? Was the driver behind the wheel for too long due to unreasonable hours? Are they an inexperienced driver, or one who has a history of being reckless? Was their employer pressuring them to meet an unrealistic deadline?
Some of these mistakes can happen in the moment due to a single driver’s negligence. Others happen behind the scenes because of negligent employers who prioritize productivity over safety. Rooting out that behavior is crucial both to ensure there are consequences for those reckless mistakes but also to correct the behavior it kills others.
That’s why investigators need to be thorough here. Understandably, people will call for there to be accountability here. In all likelihood, authorities have already begun work to see if the truck driver here needs to be held accountable. But for true accountability, a family deserves to know that all responsible parties answer for their actions. That’s why there need to be investigations beyond the scene and into all of the factors that ultimately led to the crash.
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