Barnes County, ND — November 4, 2024, 46-year-old Sara Leick was killed and two people were injured in an accident involving a semi-truck in Barnes County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 8:00 a.m. on State Highway 1 at County Road 22. Preliminary investigation suggests a commercial truck was hauling soybeans on the highway when a Dodge Avenger on CR 22 attempted to cross through the travel lanes ahead. Investigators say the truck hit the car on its passenger side.
Sara Leick, a passenger in the Dodge, was fatally injured in the crash. The car’s 15-year-old driver suffered critical injuries and was taken to an area hospital. The truck driver, 59-year-old Dwight Albrecht, was seriously injured and was also transported to a hospital.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is currently available.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
There aren’t too many specifics about what happened here, though based on the early news reports folks may be inclined to say the teen driver made a mistake. However, I say all the time that jumping to conclusions before all the facts are in is irresponsible. There are still many possible explanations for what happened, and there’s no telling yet if something unusual was involved.
Here’s what I mean: There was a recent crash here in Texas where police said a man ran a stop sign and a semi-truck T-boned his vehicle, killing him. That seemed pretty clear-cut from the initial reports, but things weren’t really that simple. Further investigation ultimately showed that the intersection was under construction and work crews removed the stop signs. When they left for the day, they failed to put them back. How can someone run a stop sign that isn’t even there?
I’m not saying the signage was missing in Barnes County. I’m just pointing out that preliminary reports often don’t have all the facts, and the news cycle often moves on without revisiting an accident or providing updates. Investigators don’t know exactly why the car supposedly pulled into the truck’s path, and that’s something only careful investigation and clear evidence could say. Will authorities stick with this long enough to get some real answers for the people who need and deserve them?
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