Palm Beach County, FL — November 5, 2025, George Sandiford was killed in a truck accident at about 12:30 p.m. on U.S. Route 441/Southern Boulevard.
Authorities said a 2013 Nissan Maxima was heading east when it collided with a semi-truck turning left from Hatton Highway. The car became tangled up with the truck’s trailer.
Nissan driver George Sandiford, 71, of South Bay died at the scene from injuries suffered in the crash near Belle Glade, according to authorities.
The truck driver was not hurt, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Palm Beach County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear about a fatal crash involving a semi-truck turning across traffic, a natural question comes to mind: How could something like this happen in broad daylight? Especially when someone in a regular passenger vehicle ends up losing their life, folks rightly want to know whether this was a simple misjudgment or the result of something more serious, like distraction, poor visibility or even bad company practices.
From what’s been reported so far, a semi-truck was making a left turn from Hatton Highway onto U.S. Route 441 when a Nissan sedan, traveling east, collided with the trailer. The car became caught under the trailer, and the driver was killed at the scene. That raises a number of unanswered questions about visibility, timing and the actions of both drivers.
The key issue here is how and why the truck was crossing traffic at that particular moment. Depending on whether the turn was legal and properly timed, very different questions arise. Was the trucker trying to beat oncoming traffic? Did they misjudge the car’s speed? Or was the car already too close for the truck to safely complete the turn? We don’t know yet, and that’s a problem.
One thing that stands out is that the car became tangled with the trailer itself, which may suggest an underride-style scenario. In my experience, when a car ends up stuck under a trailer during a broadside collision, it often means the driver didn’t have enough time, or enough warning, to avoid the truck altogether. That brings us back to visibility. Was the trailer properly marked and lit? Was it daylight clear, or were weather or sun glare factors? These are details that black box data, dash cam footage and forensic analysis can help clarify.
Investigators also need to look into the truck driver’s behavior. Was he distracted? Using a cell phone? In-cab cameras and phone records can answer that. And what about the truck itself: was it in good working order? Did the brakes function properly? These are not just technicalities; they’re often the difference between a safe maneuver and a fatal one.
But the investigation can’t stop with the driver. I’ve handled cases where poor hiring or training practices were at the root of similar crashes. Sometimes companies put drivers behind the wheel without proper vetting or supervision. If that happened here, it’s not just the driver who needs to answer for it. It’s the company that put him on the road in the first place.
All of this underscores the need for a full, independent investigation. Police reports give a starting point, but they rarely dig deep into ECM data, driver logs or the kind of maintenance records that can reveal a pattern of negligence. Without that kind of work, we’re left with headlines instead of answers.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s unclear whether the truck had the right-of-way or turned in front of oncoming traffic, which is central to understanding fault.
- The collision involved the car getting stuck under the trailer, suggesting possible issues with visibility or timing.
- Black box data, in-cab cameras and phone records are crucial to determining what the truck driver was doing at the time.
- Trucking company practices — such as hiring, training and vehicle maintenance — may have contributed and should be investigated.
- Only a thorough, evidence-based investigation can reveal what really happened and who should be held responsible.
