Benton County, MN — December 11, 2025, Gary Srnsky lost his life due to a single-vehicle truck accident at about 1:00 a.m. along U.S. Highway 10.
According to authorities, a man from Thief River Falls identified as 69-year-old Gary Srnsky was traveling in an 18-wheeler on U.S. 10 in the vicinity of Rice when the accident took place.
Details surrounding the accident remain scarce. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the 18-wheeler veered off of the side of the roadway and collided with a roadside ditch.
Srnsky reportedly sustained fatal injuries over the course of the accident and was declared deceased at the scene.
Additional information pertaining to this incident is not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When an 18-wheeler veers off a highway and ends up in a ditch with fatal consequences, it’s easy to assume that road conditions or chance were to blame. But from a legal standpoint, a single-vehicle commercial crash in the early morning hours often signals deeper issues—like fatigue, distraction, or equipment failure. These aren’t abstract possibilities; they’re patterns I’ve seen repeatedly in similar cases.
At around 1:00 a.m., driver alertness is a critical concern. The body’s natural circadian rhythm is at its lowest, and unless the driver was fully rested and within hours-of-service limits, fatigue may have played a role. That’s why investigators will need to review logbooks, dispatch schedules, and ECM data to understand how long the driver had been operating and whether rest requirements were actually met. If the logs don’t match the data—or if the driver was running on a tight schedule—that could suggest a company-level failure, not just a personal one.
Another possibility is distraction. A moment’s inattention—reaching for a device, adjusting a setting, or checking a map—can cause a truck to drift off the road, especially at highway speeds. If the vehicle had an in-cab camera, that could provide crucial insight. Failing that, phone records may show whether the driver was using a device in the moments leading up to the crash.
Mechanical failure can’t be ruled out either. A steering or brake issue could easily cause the vehicle to leave the roadway, and those problems often trace back to skipped inspections or inadequate maintenance. I’ve handled cases where tire blowouts, worn suspension parts, or steering system defects led directly to fatal crashes—failures that could have been caught with routine attention.
The truth is, 18-wheelers don’t just “veer off” the road without a reason. That reason may lie with the driver, the vehicle, the employer—or some combination of all three. But unless someone asks the right questions and examines the available evidence, the root cause is likely to stay hidden.
Key Takeaways:
- Early-morning timing raises strong concerns about fatigue, which should be investigated using logs, GPS data, and rest records.
- Distraction may also be a factor—phone records and in-cab camera footage (if available) could help clarify driver behavior.
- Mechanical issues, including brake or steering failure, must be ruled out through inspection records and post-crash analysis.
- Employer practices around scheduling and equipment maintenance may be relevant if systemic issues contributed to the crash.
- A full investigation is essential to determine whether this was a preventable incident tied to human or mechanical failure.
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