Jasper County, TX — September 8, 2024, CJ Collins was killed following a single-car accident at approximately 4:30 p.m. along Farm to Market 1408.
According to authorities, 71-year-old CJ Collins was traveling in a northbound Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck on F.M. 1408 in the vicinity south of State Highway 63 when the accident took place.
The cause of the accident remains unclear. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the pickup failed to safely maintain its lane of travel. It reportedly veered right, leaving the roadway before overcorrecting to the left. It crossed over both lanes of traffic before leaving the opposite side of the road and entering a grass bar ditch where it overturned, coming to a stop resting on its roof.
Collins suffered critical injuries over the course of the accident and was transported to a local medical facility in order to receive immediate treatment. However, he was ultimately unable to overcome the severity of his injuries, having later been declared deceased. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When someone is killed in a single-vehicle crash, especially one involving an overcorrection and rollover, it’s easy to assume the driver simply lost control. But in my experience, that explanation rarely tells the full story. Even when only one vehicle is involved, there are three key questions that should be asked to truly understand what led to the crash.
First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the incident? A full reconstruction should explore not just where the vehicle ended up, but how it got there. Were there tire marks, signs of an evasive maneuver, or something in the roadway that might have caused the driver to veer off course? These details can be critical, especially when a vehicle crosses multiple lanes before coming to rest.
Second, has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect could have played a role? Overcorrection crashes can sometimes stem from mechanical issues like steering failure, tire blowouts, or electronic stability control malfunctions. These problems don’t always leave obvious signs at the scene and can be missed unless someone takes the time to thoroughly inspect the vehicle while it’s still available.
Lastly, has all available electronic data from the vehicle been preserved? Most modern vehicles are equipped with event data recorders that store information like speed, brake application, and steering input in the moments leading up to a crash. That kind of data can help clarify whether the vehicle responded properly to the driver’s inputs—or whether something went wrong inside the vehicle itself.
Understanding how and why a crash happened is essential—especially when someone has lost their life. The answers don’t always come easily, but they can’t be found unless the right questions are pursued from the start. Asking these questions is the least that can be done to ensure that those affected by this crash get the clarity and closure they deserve.
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