Update (June 24): Authorities have identified one of the people injured in this accident as Joann Contreras, 61, who was driving a 2022 Kia Rio. Joann Contreras suffered serious injuries in the crash, as did a 10-year-old boy who was a passenger in a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The Nissan’s driver, a 24-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries. The truck driver has been charged with causing an accident resulting in injuries.
San Marcos, TX — June 11, 2025, three people were injured in a truck accident at about 1:50 p.m. at the intersection of the southbound Interstate 35 service road and East Hopkins Street/State Highway 80.
Authorities said a semi-truck crashed into four vehicles that were stopped at a red light and kept going. It was stopped sometime later by police.
Three people were hospitalized with unspecified injuries after the crash, according to authorities.
The driver was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Hays County crash at this time. The accident is still being investigated.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people read that a semi-truck plowed into several vehicles stopped at a red light, then left the scene, their first thought is probably: How could this happen? From a legal standpoint, that’s exactly the right question.
The early reports say the truck hit four stopped vehicles, then kept driving until police intervened. That sequence raises critical questions that go beyond whether the driver broke the law by leaving the scene (he was arrested for that, according to authorities). The bigger question is why the crash happened in the first place.
Was this a case of reckless driving, or did something happen inside the cab — like a medical emergency or mechanical failure — that caused the driver to lose control? It’s not clear yet whether the truck was braking, accelerating or swerving before the crash. That matters, because the answers help determine whether this was a criminal act, a negligent one or both.
We also don’t know what kind of data might exist from the truck itself. Most modern 18-wheelers are equipped with an engine control module (ECM), sometimes called a “black box,” that records speed, brake use and throttle input. There may also be in-cab cameras or telematics systems that show what the driver was doing in the moments leading up to the crash. Was he distracted? Asleep? On the phone? No one can say until investigators review the data.
Another question that can’t be answered from the outside is whether the trucking company had proper safety procedures in place. Did they vet the driver’s history before hiring him? Were there any red flags, like a pattern of previous accidents or license issues? I’ve handled cases where companies skipped those checks and ended up putting completely unqualified drivers on the road.
Crashes like this may seem open-and-shut, especially when a driver flees. But in my experience, that’s rarely the full story. What really happened, and who’s truly responsible, only becomes clear after a full investigation. That means collecting ECM data, cell phone records, maintenance logs and employment files. If authorities don’t pursue those leads, it falls to private investigators to dig deeper.
One thing is clear: four people were hurt while waiting at a red light. They deserve to know why. That answer doesn’t come from assumptions; it comes from evidence.
Key Takeaways
- It’s unclear whether the truck driver lost control, acted recklessly or experienced a medical issue before the crash.
- Investigators need to review ECM data, in-cab footage and the driver’s cell phone records to determine the cause.
- The driver’s employment history and the trucking company’s hiring practices could be relevant, especially if red flags were missed.
- Evidence, not assumptions, is the key to determining who should be held accountable.
- A full investigation should explore not just the crash, but also the events leading up to it and the systems meant to prevent it.
