LaGrange County, IN — March 6, 2025, two people were injured in a truck accident at about noon on U.S. Route 20 near County Road 1150 West.
Authorities said a semi-truck caused a chain-reaction accident when it crashed into the back end of a pickup that was stopped in traffic. The pickup was forced into a Ford Mustang, which was subsequently pushed under a box truck. The box truck rear-ended a semi-truck.
A passenger in the pickup and the driver of the Mustang were hospitalized with undisclosed injuries, according to authorities.
Authorities have not released any additional information at this time about the crash east of Middlebury. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
Crashes involving chain reactions often raise questions about why the initial collision happened and whether it could have been avoided. In this case, reports indicate that a semi-truck rear-ended a stopped pickup, setting off a series of impacts involving multiple vehicles. That immediately raises concerns about whether the truck driver was following too closely, distracted or simply unable to stop in time.
One of the first issues investigators should examine is whether the truck driver had enough time to react to stopped traffic. Semi-trucks require significantly more stopping distance than passenger vehicles, especially if they are fully loaded. If the driver wasn’t paying attention or was following too closely, they may not have had enough room to stop safely. Reviewing black box data, dashcam footage and any available witness statements will be critical in understanding what led to the initial impact.
Another factor is traffic conditions at the time of the crash. Was there construction, congestion or another slowdown that required vehicles to stop suddenly? If traffic was already backed up, was the truck driver aware of the slowdown ahead? Truck drivers are trained to scan far down the road to anticipate changes in traffic flow, and if they failed to do so, that could indicate driver error.
The severity of the crash also raises concerns about whether underride protection played a role. Reports indicate that the Ford Mustang was pushed under a box truck. Properly designed and maintained underride guards are meant to prevent smaller vehicles from sliding underneath larger trucks, where the risk of serious injury increases. Investigators should examine whether the box truck’s underride guard functioned as intended.
At this stage, there isn’t enough public information to determine exactly what led to this crash. But if authorities only focus on who hit whom without investigating why the truck driver failed to stop in time — whether due to distraction, following distance or reaction time — they may miss key details. A full investigation should consider all contributing factors to ensure a complete understanding of what went wrong.
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