Haakon County, SD — September 18, 2024, one person was killed and another injured after a dual semi-truck accident early Wednesday along Highway 34.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol reported that the accident happened near mile marker 128 outside of Phillip.
It appears there was one truck parked along the side of the highway, reportedly with its emergency lights on. Another truck was passing that truck when, for reasons unclear, it crashed into the back of the parked truck. Due to this, the second truck driver was killed. The driver of the parked truck sustained reportedly serious injuries. Right now, additional details are unavailable.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Something I come across frequently is people think if one vehicle is stationary, and another is moving, the driver of the moving vehicle has to be at fault for a resulting crash. But there are many factors that can go into a crash like this which need to be thoroughly investigated. Was the parked truck in a lane of travel? Was it marked by cones or flares? Is this a poorly lit area, or an area without a shoulder? Was the approaching driver paying attention to the road? Were they working long hours due to unreasonable expectations from their employer? Was the parked truck there due to an avoidable mechanical issue? These are just some of the factors investigators would have to look into, so if authorities aren’t getting the whole story here, there may need to be more thorough independent accident reconstructions.
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