Chelan County, WA — September 5, 2025, Ramiro Sanchez-Montes, Maria Sanchez-Romero and a 13-year-old girl were injured in a truck accident at about 2:45 p.m. on U.S. Route 97 near Blewett Pass.
Authorities said an SUV collided with a semi-truck about 12 miles south of Peshastin.
SUV driver Ramiro Sanches-Montes, 60, and passengers Maria I. Sanchez-Romero, 52, and a 13-year-old girl were hospitalized with unspecified injuries after the crash, according to authorities.
The truck driver was not hurt, authorities said.
Authorities said Ramiro Sanchez-Montes was not intoxicated at the time of the crash, but the accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear about a crash between a semi-truck and an SUV on a rural highway, they naturally want to know: What exactly happened? Was someone not paying attention? Did one of the vehicles make a sudden move? And most importantly, was this preventable?
Right now, several key questions remain unanswered. Authorities say the crash happened on U.S. Route 97, with the SUV’s occupants suffering injuries and the truck driver walking away unharmed. But that alone doesn’t tell us nearly enough.
The big unknown here is how the two vehicles came to collide in the first place. Did the SUV veer into the truck’s path? Did the truck drift into the SUV’s lane? Was one of them trying to turn, pass or merge? Depending on whether the truck was moving or stopped, different legal questions come into play. Until that’s clarified, there’s no way to begin determining fault.
Another point worth emphasizing is that just because one vehicle suffered more damage or injuries doesn’t mean that driver was necessarily the victim. In my experience litigating these cases, fault almost always comes down to the evidence, not assumptions.
That means investigators should already be gathering black box data from the truck’s engine control module (ECM), which logs speed, braking and steering input before a crash. Cell phone records could show whether either driver was distracted. And if the truck was equipped with in-cab cameras or dashcams, common in many fleets, those recordings could be the clearest view of what unfolded.
It’s also worth asking: What do we know about the truck driver’s history? Have there been prior crashes or safety violations? Did the trucking company follow a thorough hiring and training process? I’ve handled cases where a driver caused a wreck only because the company that hired him barely checked his qualifications. That kind of corporate negligence doesn’t always show up in the initial police report, but it can be a critical part of the legal picture.
In short, crashes like this one demand a deeper investigation, not just to figure out what happened, but why it happened and who allowed it to happen. Without that, we’re left with speculation instead of accountability.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s still unclear how the collision between the SUV and semi-truck occurred or which driver crossed into the other’s path.
- Black box data, dashcam footage and cell phone records can help reconstruct the crash and determine fault.
- The truck driver’s safety record and the trucking company’s hiring practices may also be relevant to the investigation.
- Determining responsibility requires facts, not assumptions based on who was injured or which vehicle was larger.
- A full and independent investigation is necessary before anyone can be held properly accountable.
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