Basic Facts

Crash date: September 4, 2026

Crash location: NY State Thruway, Newstead, Erie County, NY

People involved:

  • Olive H. Wesley, 61
  • Eric A. Trone, 62
  • 18-wheeler Driver

Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash?: Unknown

Are there possible charges or citations?: Unknown

Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash?: Unknown

Accident Report

September 4, 2026, Olive Wesley was killed and Eric Trone was injured following a semi-truck accident at around 2:30 a.m. along I-90.

According to the New York State Police, the accident happened east of Buffalo in the Newstead area along the side of the New York State Thruway.

Officials said that 61-year-old Olive Wesley and 62-year-old Eric Trone were in a pickup that stopped along the right shoulder of the Thruway. While they were there, authorities say that a Volvo tractor-trailer somehow went onto the shoulder and crashed into the pickup.

Due to the crash, Olive Wesley sustained fatal injuries. Eric Trone reportedly had non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities did not report any other injuries. At this time, additional details about the crash are unavailable.

How Did This Accident Occur?

This early in the morning, my first suspicion is that the semi-truck left its lane due to fatigue or distraction. Following hundreds of commercial vehicle accident investigations, those possibilities are simply too common to ignore. Of course, this could be an unusual situation involving factors the truck driver had no control over. Even something like a possible vehicle is worth ruling out. That’s why it’s so crucial to focus on evidence rather than blame. Whether or not there is someone who needs to be held accountable, it’s the evidence that will provide the best path forward.

For example, have authorities looked to see if the semi-truck had any cameras onboard? That was a major breakthrough in a case I handled not long ago. Essentially, an 18-wheeler hit someone who was in a disabled car along a dark highway. The trucking company claimed the vehicle wasn’t visible and had no lights on, so the crash was unavoidable. Through our investigations, though, we found that the truck had two cameras—one with a view of the road and one inside the driver’s cab. We obtained court orders for the video, and it revealed a shocking series of events.

On the dash cam, the victim’s car was clearly visible about three-quarters of a mile down the road. It had its flashers on, and anyone paying attention to the road could have stopped or gone around the disabled vehicle. So what happened? As shown by the in-cab camera, the truck driver was watching shows on his tablet. He didn’t even glance at the road until it was too late to avoid the collision. Those videos proved that the trucking company fabricated a story to avoid responsibility. As such, there was a clearer path for the family to see accountability for what happened.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that’s what happened in this accident. My point is that securing electronic evidence early on before it’s erased or lost can yield crucial information. It is possible that this all was just an unfortunate coincidence of two vehicles being in the wrong place at the wrong time. More likely, though, is that evidence will show there were avoidable mistakes leading to this deadly collision. The sooner investigators work to preserve that evidence, the more information the victims and families will have to work with.

If anyone knows more or passed by the accident scene, what are your thoughts? Share them in the comments.

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