UPDATE (July 23, 2025): Additional reports have been released which clarify some of the details pertaining to this incident. The initial accident involved three separate vehicles, one of which was a commercial vehicle. In the same location shortly after, a secondary accident took place that involved thirteen vehicles, six of which were commercial.
One person from the initial collision sustained injuries; the other nine injured victims—as well as the two deceased victims—were involved in the secondary crash. The ten people who were hurt were transported to area medical facilities by EMS in order to receive treatment. No further information is currently available. Investigations continue.
Colleton County, SC — July 22, 2025, at least one person was killed due to a multi-vehicle truck accident at approximately 4:30 p.m. along Interstate Highway 95.
According to authorities, the accident took place on I.H. 95 in the vicinity south of U.S. Highway 21.
Details surrounding the accident remain scarce. Preliminary reports state that, for as yet unknown reasons, a collision occurred involving several vehicles, at least two of which were commercial vehicles. Officials indicate that at least one person has lost their life as a result of this wreck. The number of people who were injured, however, is still unclear. Additional information pertaining to this incident—including the identity(s) of the victim(s)—is not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When you hear that a crash involved more than a dozen vehicles—including seven commercial trucks—you start to realize we’re not dealing with a routine traffic accident. The updated reports now make clear that this wasn’t a single event, but two separate crashes in close succession. That changes the entire investigative landscape.
The first question to ask is: what made the second crash possible? Was traffic backed up from the initial wreck with no warning for oncoming vehicles? Were commercial drivers following too closely, speeding, or otherwise failing to account for stopped or slowed traffic ahead? These are critical questions because secondary crashes are often preventable when proper safeguards are in place—like hazard lights, flares, or timely communication from dispatch.
And let’s not gloss over the fact that seven of the vehicles involved across both crashes were commercial trucks. That’s not a coincidence—that’s a red flag. Commercial vehicles are supposed to operate with heightened awareness and longer following distances precisely because of the danger they pose in chain-reaction events. So either multiple drivers weren’t following protocol, or something else seriously broke down in the moments after the first collision.
One of the more complex challenges in a pileup of this scale is assigning responsibility. Who hit whom? Did one truck cause a domino effect, or were multiple operators at fault? That’s where dash cam footage, ECM data, and driver logs become essential. I’ve worked on cases where a single truck rear-ended a slowing car, and because other trucks were packed too closely, the result was a multi-vehicle disaster. The evidence made it clear that it wasn’t just one bad decision—it was a systemic failure of judgment across several vehicles.
Another angle investigators will need to examine is whether all vehicles were roadworthy and properly maintained. In large-scale crashes, even minor mechanical issues—like delayed braking response—can become deadly in the wrong sequence of events.
It’s easy to see a wreck like this and assume it was just a tragic pileup, but that mindset misses the point. Large crashes don’t happen in a vacuum. They result from specific actions—or inactions—that can be traced, documented, and understood. The goal is not to point fingers arbitrarily but to follow the facts wherever they lead.
Key Takeaways:
- The incident involved two separate crashes, including a 13-vehicle pileup and seven commercial trucks in total.
- Investigators must determine whether traffic congestion from the first crash contributed to the second.
- Commercial drivers may have failed to maintain safe distances or react appropriately to slowed traffic.
- Dash cams, ECM data, and driver logs are essential to understanding the sequence of impacts.
- Large pileups are often the result of preventable missteps—not random chaos.
