Phoenix, AZ — December 16, 2025, Pamela Hoffman was killed and two other people were injured in a multi-vehicle accident at about 12:30 p.m. on Interstate 17.
Authorities said a commercial flatbed truck and two SUVs were involved in a crash near Camelback Road.
A passenger in one of the SUVs, 76-year-old Pamela Hoffman, died in the crash, according to authorities.
Two other people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said, but it is not clear how they were involved in the crash.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Maricopa County crash at this time.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a crash involves a commercial truck and takes someone’s life, as it did here, most people are left asking the same basic question: How did this happen, and could it have been prevented? Unfortunately, based on the initial reports, we don’t yet have a clear answer to either.
Authorities have confirmed that a flatbed truck and two SUVs were involved, and that one person, a passenger in an SUV, was killed. Two others were injured. But beyond that, key facts are still missing. We don’t know how the collision began, which vehicle hit which or whether the truck was in motion or stopped when the crash occurred. Each of those details matters, and until they’re clarified, it’s impossible to fully understand who should be held accountable.
Flatbed trucks, in particular, raise a number of specific legal questions in multi-vehicle crashes. Did the truck jackknife? Was the cargo secured properly? Was the driver paying attention or distracted, possibly by a cell phone? And what role, if any, did the truck’s speed or lane positioning play in the crash? Right now, it’s not clear whether the truck directly struck one or both SUVs or whether one of the other vehicles collided with it.
To start answering those questions, investigators will need access to the truck’s engine control module (ECM), which can tell us how fast the truck was going, whether the brakes were applied and whether the driver made any steering maneuvers before impact. If the truck had in-cab cameras or dash cams, that footage could reveal whether the driver was distracted, fatigued or simply made a critical mistake. Cell phone records may also need to be reviewed.
And beyond the driver’s actions, we can’t overlook the responsibility of the trucking company. Did they properly train and vet the driver? Was the route appropriate for the truck and its load? I’ve handled cases where a trucking company hired someone with a history of crashes or failed to perform even a basic driving test before putting them behind the wheel of a multi-ton vehicle. That kind of oversight, or lack of it, can make a bad situation inevitable.
At this point, it’s too early to point fingers. But what’s already clear is that someone lost their life, and that deserves a full accounting, not just assumptions based on limited facts. The only way to get the truth is through a serious investigation that looks beyond the crash report and into the decisions and data behind the wheel.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s not yet clear how the crash unfolded or which vehicle initiated the collision.
- Critical evidence — like ECM data, dash cam footage and cell phone records — will be necessary to determine fault.
- The trucking company’s hiring and training practices may be relevant depending on what the investigation uncovers.
- Flatbed trucks raise additional questions about cargo security and route planning that may factor into liability.
- A thorough investigation, not assumptions, is essential to determine who should be held accountable.
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