UPDATE (February 24, 2025): As the NTSB continues their investigation, they consistently point out that the load the truck was pulling here was oversized—apparently over 45 tons. That makes me wonder if the company transporting this cargo did the proper research ahead of time to make sure they could safely take this route. Either that, or they failed to check the 18-wheeler before the trip, which likely would have caught any potential clearance issues.
As I said in my original commentary below, it’s important to look beyond one driver’s potential actions and consider there may have been mistakes long before the moments surrounding the accident that contributed to the crash. As time goes on, I only see more and more red flags about this accident which suggest a responsible, thorough trucking company could have avoided this whole event. Those are red flags which need immediate and thorough attention.
UPDATE (December 23, 2024): Reports have identified the Union Pacific workers killed in the accident as Clay Burt and Phillip Araujo. Right now, additional details are unavailable.
UPDATE (December 20, 2024): Further details confirm that a second person died as a result of the truck accident. It appears both deceased victims were Union Pacific employees. Their names have not yet been released. Details about the other victims remain unclear at this time. Investigations are ongoing.
Pecos, TX — December 18, 2024, one person was killed and four were injured following a train versus 18-wheeler accident at 5:00 p.m. along U.S. 285.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it took place on the railroad tracks crossing U.S. Highway 285 between 1st Street and A Street.
According to officials, a tractor-trailer somehow became stuck on the tracks. Video shows that the truck was on the tracks as a train passed through. The train struck the semi’s trailer, then reportedly derailed. In the process, the train apparently damaged the Pecos Chamber of Commerce building.
Right now, reports say one person was killed. Four others were injured, one seriously, according to authorities. The names of the victims and how they were involved in the accident have yet to be released. At this time, additional details are unavailable.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
It isn’t going to surprise anyone to hear that when an 18-wheeler becomes stuck on railroad tracks, it’s usually because someone made a mistake. Most people tend to put all of their focus on the truck driver. That’s reasonable, but there’s likely more to the story. I’ve handled hundreds of commercial vehicle accident cases. In my experience, a serious accident like this often involves mistakes that happened long before the driver got behind the wheel. That’s why investigators should be looking into both the driver’s actions and their employer’s actions.
Was this driver trying to take a shortcut to meet unreasonable deadlines? Did their employer give them this route without checking for clearance issues? Was the trailer overloaded, or was the trailer too small for the cargo it was carrying? Did the truck stop due to a mechanical issue that happened due to poor maintenance? Was the driver involved inexperienced, poorly trained, or involved in accidents in the past?
Ultimately, these are some of the many questions that investigators should be able to answer. That means investigations should extend beyond the crash itself to things like company records, cell phone data, maintenance history, vehicle inspections, and driver history, to name a few. Not only is it important to ensure there is accountability for all of the mistakes that led to this accident, but there also needs to be a path forward for the victims and families involved.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us