Theresa Poffenberger Killed in Truck Accident in Hagerstown, MD

Hagerstown, MD — January 29, 2025, Theresa Poffenberger was killed in a truck accident at about 4 a.m. on Halfway Boulevard near Interstate 81.

Authorities said an SUV crashed into the back of a semi-truck for an unknown reason.

SUV driver Theresa Marie Poffenberger, 64, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the crash at this time. The accident remains under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a crash involves a passenger vehicle rear-ending a semi-truck, many people assume the smaller vehicle’s driver is at fault. But in my experience, these crashes often raise serious questions about visibility and truck safety compliance.

One key issue is whether the truck was properly visible. This crash happened at 4 a.m., when lighting conditions are poor. If the truck was moving slowly or stopped, did it have working taillights, reflective markings and hazard signals activated? Federal regulations require trailers to have reflective tape and functioning rear lights for exactly this reason, because a poorly marked truck at night can be nearly invisible until it’s too late.

Another important factor is the truck’s position and movement. Was it legally stopped, moving at highway speed or entering the roadway? If it was stopped or moving significantly slower than surrounding traffic, that changes the dynamics of the crash. Investigators should review ECM (black box) data, dashcam footage and any available surveillance videos to determine the truck’s movement before impact.

It’s also worth asking whether underride protection played a role. When a car crashes into the back of a semi-truck, the design of the trailer’s rear guard can determine whether the crash is survivable. If the truck’s underride guard was missing or defective, that could have made the crash far more severe than it needed to be.

At this stage, there’s still a lot we don’t know about what led to this crash. But what is clear is that rear-end truck collisions aren’t always as simple as they seem. If authorities don’t examine truck visibility, positioning and safety features, they may miss key details that explain why this crash occurred.