1 Killed in Truck Accident on I-94 near Buffalo, ND

Cass County, ND — February 17, 2025, one person was killed in a truck accident at about 5:30 a.m. on westbound Interstate 94.

Authorities said a semi-truck was headed west when its driver lost control for an unknown reason. The truck overturned after going into the median near Buffalo.

The driver, a 62-year-old man from Fargo, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, according to authorities. His name has not been made public at this time.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Cass County crash. The accident is still under investigation.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a semi-truck overturns without another vehicle involved, the key question is: What caused the driver to lose control? While icy roads, high winds or sudden medical emergencies are possible, investigators shouldn’t rule out preventable factors like excessive speed, fatigue or mechanical failure.

One of the first things authorities should examine is road conditions at the time of the crash. Was there ice, snow or standing water that could have made the roadway slick? If so, was the driver traveling too fast for those conditions? Truck drivers are trained to adjust their speed based on weather and road conditions, but not all of them follow those guidelines. Black box data could provide insight into speed and braking before the crash.

Another critical factor is whether fatigue played a role. A crash at 5:30 a.m. suggests the driver may have been on the road for hours overnight, which raises questions about whether they were well-rested. Investigators should look at the driver’s hours-of-service logs to determine if they were following federal rest requirements or if fatigue impaired their ability to react safely.

Mechanical failure is another possibility that shouldn’t be overlooked. A blown tire, brake failure or steering issue could have contributed to the driver losing control. A thorough inspection of the truck’s condition — along with its maintenance history — would be necessary to rule out mechanical issues.

At this stage, there’s still a lot that isn’t known, but assuming this was just an accident without looking deeper would be a mistake. A proper investigation should examine all possible factors to determine whether this crash was truly unavoidable or if preventable issues played a role.