Reeves County, TX — April 3, 2025, Patrick Purdom was killed in a truck accident at about 2:30 p.m. on westbound Interstate 20.
Authorities said a 2005 Freightliner semi-truck hit a road crew worker near mile marker 28 while it was passing a slower-moving vehicle in a construction zone.
Worker Patrick Daniel Purdom, 24, died at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.
The truck driver has been charged with failure to stop and render aid in a collision involving death, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Reeves County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a commercial truck strikes and kills a road worker in a construction zone, the legal question isn’t whether the driver did something wrong. It’s how many ways the safety system failed before the crash even happened. That’s because in work zones, the law isn’t just about caution. It’s about accountability.
According to reports, the truck was passing a slower vehicle in a construction zone when it hit a worker on foot. That alone raises major concerns. Construction zones are designed with reduced speed limits, lane restrictions and warning signs for a reason: to protect the people working just feet from moving traffic. A semi-truck passing another vehicle in that environment should immediately prompt the question: Was that maneuver legal? And more importantly, was it safe?
From a legal perspective, the driver’s conduct during and after the crash is going to be heavily scrutinized. The fact that he’s already been charged with failure to stop and render aid following a fatal collision makes this even more serious. Failing to stop after hitting someone — especially in broad daylight, in a marked work zone — suggests either a stunning lack of awareness or a deliberate choice to avoid responsibility. Neither reflects well on the driver or the company that put him on the road.
The investigation should start with the truck’s engine control module. That will provide a second-by-second account of the vehicle’s speed, braking and throttle inputs at the time of the crash. If the truck was traveling faster than posted work zone limits, that alone is a significant breach of duty. Authorities should also examine dashcam footage, if available, and review cell phone records to determine whether distraction played a role.
But beyond the individual driver’s actions, we also have to ask what role the trucking company may have played. Was the driver adequately trained on how to navigate active work zones? Was he under pressure to meet delivery deadlines that encouraged aggressive driving? Were there previous complaints or incidents involving this driver that should have raised red flags?
These are not just hypothetical questions. They’re the kinds of issues I’ve seen come up repeatedly in work zone crash cases. Companies that fail to prepare their drivers for these high-risk environments, or that ignore obvious safety hazards, can’t act surprised when something like this happens.
The law gives clear direction in situations like this: slow down, stay alert and respect the space of workers who are putting themselves at risk to keep our roads functional. When a driver ignores those rules, and someone dies as a result, the consequences shouldn’t end with a citation. They should trigger a thorough investigation into every decision that led up to that moment, because that’s the only way to make sure the next road crew doesn’t face the same danger.
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