Dothan, AL — February 8, 2026, David Tice was killed in an evening truck accident on Montgomery Highway/State Route 53.
Authorities said a southbound semi-truck hit a pedestrian near Plum Avenue, forcing police to divert traffic through a nearby shopping center.
The pedestrian, 18-year-old David Tice, died from injuries suffered in the crash, according to authorities.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Houston County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people read about a crash like this, the first questions are simple and fair: How did this happen? What was the truck doing? And why are there so few answers right now? When a pedestrian is struck and killed by a semi-truck on a public highway, the lack of detail matters because the details are what determine accountability.
At this point, we know very little beyond the fact that a southbound semi-truck struck a pedestrian on Montgomery Highway. It’s not clear where the pedestrian was in relation to the roadway, whether they were crossing, standing on the shoulder or walking along the highway. It’s also not clear what the truck driver saw, or should have seen, before the impact. Those unanswered questions are central to understanding what went wrong.
We also don’t yet know anything about the truck itself. Was the truck slowing down, accelerating or maintaining speed? Was the driver attentive in the moments before the collision? Those answers don’t come from speculation; they come from evidence. Engine control module data can show speed, braking and throttle use. In-cab cameras, if the truck had them, may reveal where the driver was looking and whether distraction played a role. Cell phone records can help determine whether the driver was engaged in calls or data use at the time.
Lighting and visibility are another open issue. This crash happened in the evening, but we don’t know what the lighting conditions were, whether the area was well-lit or whether anything obstructed the driver’s view. Depending on those conditions, different questions arise about reaction time, lookout and whether evasive action was possible.
Finally, there’s the broader question of oversight. We don’t yet know who the driver was working for, what training they received or whether the company had systems in place to monitor driver behavior. In my experience, these cases often hinge on information that never appears in early police reports but becomes clear once records are obtained and reviewed.
Right now, the investigation is ongoing. That’s appropriate. But until the truck’s data, the driver’s actions and the surrounding conditions are fully examined, the public is left without answers; and answers are exactly what determine whether this was unavoidable or preventable.
Key Takeaways
- Early reports leave critical questions unanswered about the pedestrian’s location and the truck driver’s actions.
- Black box data, in-cab video and phone records are essential to understanding what happened.
- Evening lighting and visibility conditions may play a key role, but details haven’t been released.
- Accountability depends on evidence, not assumptions, and that evidence often comes later in truck crash investigations.
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