Kaley Demasters, Child Killed in Truck Accident near Clyde, TX

Callahan County, TX — February 11, 2026, Kaley Demasters and a child were killed in a truck accident at about 7:30 p.m. on State Highway 36 south of Clyde.

Authorities said a semi-truck and a 2019 Nissan Altima collided at the intersection with F.M. 603, causing the truck to spill its load of metal pipes.

Nissan driver Kaley Demasters, 36, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities, while an 11-year-old girl who was riding with her died while being flown to an area hospital.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

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

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people read about a crash like this, the first questions that come to mind are simple: How does a semi-truck end up colliding at a highway intersection? Why did its load of metal pipes spill? And could this have been prevented?

Right now, we don’t have many answers. Authorities have said only that a semi-truck and another vehicle collided around 7:30 p.m. on State Highway 36 at F.M. 603, and that the truck spilled its load of metal pipes. Two people died after the crash. Beyond that, key details are missing.

At an intersection crash involving a commercial truck, the most important question is who had the right of way, and why that right of way may have been violated. It’s not clear whether the truck was traveling on Highway 36 or entering from F.M. 603. We don’t yet know if one vehicle failed to yield, misjudged the other’s speed or attempted a turn that wasn’t safe. Those facts matter, and they should be confirmed with physical evidence, not assumptions.

Then there’s the cargo. When a truck spills metal pipes after a collision, investigators need to determine whether the impact caused the load to come loose, or whether the load was not properly secured in the first place. That’s not a small distinction. Federal safety rules require cargo like pipes to be tied down and secured in specific ways to prevent shifting. If restraints failed, investigators should ask why. Were the correct tie-downs used? Were they properly tensioned? Who loaded the trailer, and did the driver inspect it before leaving?

In past cargo cases I’ve handled, it wasn’t just the driver who bore responsibility. Sometimes the loading company used the wrong equipment. Sometimes the trailer wasn’t suited for the material being hauled. Other times, warning flags or lighting were missing. You don’t know where responsibility lies until you look at every step in the chain.

There are also technical questions that should be answered. What does the truck’s engine control module, the “black box,” show about speed and braking in the seconds before impact? Was the driver accelerating, slowing down or trying to avoid the collision? Were there in-cab cameras or dash cams that captured what happened? Was the driver distracted? Cell phone records can help answer that, but only if someone takes the steps to secure them.

Because the crash happened around 7:30 p.m., visibility may also be an issue. We don’t yet know what lighting conditions were like at that intersection. If it was dark, were the truck’s lights and reflectors working properly? Were the pipes marked in a way that made them visible if they extended beyond the trailer?

It’s easy for early reports to frame a crash as a simple two-vehicle collision. In reality, these cases often involve layers of responsibility: driver decisions, cargo securement practices, company policies and sometimes third-party loaders. The only way to sort that out is through a thorough investigation that preserves evidence before it disappears.

Right now, the public is being told that the crash is under investigation. That’s appropriate. But an investigation has to go beyond writing a ticket or assigning quick blame. It should focus on what the data, the equipment and the physical evidence reveal about how this collision actually happened.

Key Takeaways

• We don’t yet know who had the right of way or what led to the collision at the intersection.
• It’s unclear whether the spilled metal pipes were dislodged by the crash or improperly secured beforehand.
• Black box data, dash cams and cell phone records can clarify speed, braking and possible distraction.
• Cargo loading practices and company oversight may be just as important as driver actions.
• A full investigation is the only way to determine who is truly responsible.