Kade Jackson Killed in Truck Accident near Moss Hill, TX

Update (September 30, 2025): Authorities have identified the man killed in this accident as Ethan “Kade” Jackson, 21, of Lufkin.

Liberty County, TX — September 9, 2025, a Lufkin man was killed in a truck accident at about noon on State Highway 146 north of Moss Hill.

Authorities said a 2017 Freightliner semi-truck pulled into front of a 2018 Ford Fusion while trying to turn into a gravel pit.

The Ford driver, a 21-year-old Lufkin man, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to the report. His name has not been made public yet.

The truck driver reportedly is expected to face charges in relation to the crash.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Liberty County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When someone reads that a truck pulled in front of a car and the car’s driver died, the first question that naturally arises is: How could that happen? Was the truck already in the road and the car couldn’t stop? Did the truck driver misjudge the car’s speed or distance? Or did something else entirely go wrong?

Based on what’s been reported so far, we know a semi-truck was trying to turn into a gravel pit along State Highway 146 when it pulled in front of a Ford Fusion. The car’s driver, a young man from Lufkin, didn’t survive. Authorities have said the truck driver is expected to face charges, but that doesn’t automatically answer the key question: What was the truck driver actually doing when the collision occurred?

That’s not something anyone can know without a thorough investigation. These types of crashes often hinge on just a few seconds of decision-making, or lack thereof. Depending on whether the truck was already turning or just starting to turn when the car approached, different issues come into play. Was the truck moving slowly across traffic lanes? Was it stopped and blocking the road? The answer to that will go a long way in determining responsibility, but it hasn’t been made public yet.

In a case like this, I’d want to see what the truck’s engine control module (the ECM or “black box”) says. That device records vehicle speed, throttle use, braking and more, hard facts that help cut through speculation. In-cab cameras, if installed, could also reveal whether the driver was paying attention, distracted or fatigued. Cell phone records can confirm if a call or text was in progress. All of that evidence becomes critical when a turn across traffic ends with someone dead.

I’d also want to know more about the trucking company’s practices. Did they train their drivers to handle these kinds of turns on busy highways? Was this driver properly vetted before being hired? I’ve handled cases where a crash didn’t just stem from a bad decision behind the wheel. It came from a pattern of poor decisions at the company level. Hiring someone with a shaky record, skimping on training or failing to monitor drivers can all contribute to deadly mistakes.

At this point, there are still unanswered questions that matter deeply: Did the truck driver have a clear line of sight? Was the turn legal and expected, or abrupt and dangerous? How long had the car driver been visible before impact? Until those questions are answered through evidence, not just assumptions, we don’t have the full picture.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s not yet clear what actions the truck driver took, or failed to take, when turning across traffic.
• Evidence like ECM data, dash cams and cell phone records will be critical in understanding what happened.
• The trucking company’s training and hiring practices may also be relevant, depending on what the investigation finds.
• Charges against the driver don’t settle the question of responsibility; only a thorough analysis of the facts can do that.
• Independent investigations are often needed to uncover what official reports don’t immediately reveal.