Staunton, VA — April 1, 2025, Cynthia Dean was killed in a truck accident at about 1 p.m. on State Route 262 at the ramp for northbound Interstate 81.
Authorities said a 2020 Hyundai SUV was headed south when it crashed into the back of a semi-truck that was trying to enter northbound Route 262 from I-81. The SUV ended up stuck under the semi’s trailer.
Hyundai driver Cynthia Dean, 57, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
The truck driver, who was not injured, was cited for reckless driving.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Augusta County crash. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Crashes where a passenger vehicle ends up stuck under the side of a semi-truck almost always come down to a single critical question: Was the truck where it was supposed to be, and was it safe for other drivers to react to it? In this case, the SUV reportedly struck the back of a truck trailer that was entering Route 262 from an I-81 ramp. That kind of setup creates a risk for what’s known as a side underride collision, something the trucking industry has known about for decades.
The fact that the truck driver was cited for reckless driving tells us a lot. It suggests that authorities believe the driver either misjudged the gap, failed to yield or entered the highway in a way that didn’t give oncoming traffic enough time to respond. Turning across or into a high-speed roadway demands precise timing and clear visibility. If the trailer was still stretched into the travel lane when the SUV approached, that’s a major safety issue, and one that falls squarely on the truck driver.
At the same time, the design and condition of the trailer itself could have played a role. If its lights or reflective tape were dirty, damaged or missing, it would have been harder for the SUV driver to see the obstruction in time to stop. In my experience, these details are often overlooked at the scene but become critical later when trying to understand how a crash like this could occur in broad daylight.
There’s also a larger question about whether the driver was properly trained to make that kind of turn. Was the trucker familiar with the area? Were they rushed or distracted? Did the trucking company provide clear routing and instructions for how to safely enter the highway? All of those upstream factors matter. When a commercial truck ends up in the path of a moving vehicle, the legal analysis can’t stop with the last few seconds. It has to go all the way back to the decisions that led the driver to that point.
Ultimately, a crash like this isn’t about bad luck. It’s about whether a professional driver acted with the care and caution that the law, and the job, require. When that doesn’t happen, and the result is a life lost, the only way to move forward is with a thorough investigation that leaves no part of that decision-making process off the table.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us