Rising Star, TX — August 14, 2025, Earl Wright was killed and another person was injured in a truck accident sometime in the afternoon along S.H. 36.
According to authorities, 74-year-old Earl Morgan Wright and another person were traveling in an eastbound vehicle on State Highway 36 at the County Road 377 intersection when the accident took place.
Reports state that eastbound traffic was at a stop waiting for oncoming traffic to clear so a safe left turn could be made by the lead car. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, an eastbound 18-wheeler failed to slow and stop for the traffic. It consequently rear-ended the car occupied by Wright.
Wright reportedly sustained fatal injuries as a result of the wreck and was declared deceased at the scene. The person who had been with him in the vehicle apparently sustained injuries of unknown severity, as well. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I see a report like this, the central issue is straightforward: why didn’t the 18-wheeler stop? Rear-end collisions almost always come down to a question of attention and control. Trucks take longer to stop than passenger cars, but professional drivers know that and are supposed to manage their following distance accordingly. If eastbound traffic was already stopped, then the obvious question is what prevented the truck driver from reacting in time.
There are several possible explanations, and the official report hasn’t narrowed them down. Was the driver distracted by a cell phone? Was fatigue a factor? Did a mechanical problem—like failing brakes—play a role? Each of those possibilities can be checked with hard evidence. Phone records, the truck’s black box data, and brake inspections can all tell a clear story about what was happening in the seconds before impact.
Beyond the driver’s conduct, investigators will also need to look at the trucking company. Did they schedule the driver in a way that pushed him to drive while fatigued? Were maintenance and brake checks kept up to standard? In my own cases, I’ve seen rear-end crashes traced back to companies cutting corners on vehicle upkeep or turning a blind eye to hours-of-service rules. Those details don’t make the news, but they are often decisive in figuring out who bears responsibility.
At this stage, all we know is that traffic was stopped and a truck plowed into the back of a car. What we don’t yet know—and what the families deserve to learn—is why the truck didn’t stop and whether the fault lies with the driver, the company, or both.
Key Takeaways
- The key unanswered question is why the 18-wheeler failed to stop for traffic.
- Evidence like black box data, cell phone records, and brake inspections can shed light on the driver’s actions.
- A full investigation should also examine company practices around maintenance and scheduling.
- Determining responsibility requires evidence, not assumptions about fault.
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