1 Injured in Truck Accident on U.S. Route 36 near Meadville, MO

Linn County, MO — June 23, 2025, one person was injured in a truck accident at about 11:10 a.m. on U.S. Route 36 near Meadville.

Authorities said a 1999 Ford pickup was headed north on State Route 139 when it was hit by an eastbound 2018 International semi-truck.

The driver of the Ford, a 62-year-old Meadville man, was flown to a Columbia hospital with life-threatening injuries after the crash, according to authorities.

The truck driver was not injured, authorities said.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Linn County crash.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When people hear that a semi-truck slammed into a pickup on a highway, they naturally want to know: How did this happen? Was the truck speeding, distracted or maybe even improperly positioned on the road? Right now, we don’t have those answers, and that’s a problem. Without more detail, it’s impossible to understand who, if anyone, dropped the ball in a way that led to this crash.

Based on what’s been reported, the crash happened when a northbound pickup on Route 139 was hit by an eastbound semi on U.S. Route 36. But there’s an immediate unanswered question here: Where did the impact actually take place? If the truck was on Route 36 and the pickup was crossing or entering the highway from Route 139, did the pickup fail to yield? Or did the truck driver blow through a signal or drive improperly through the intersection? Without that detail, we can’t determine whose actions might have triggered the collision.

Depending on where the vehicles were relative to the intersection and what traffic controls were in place, responsibility could fall in very different directions. For example, if the pickup entered Route 36 improperly, that points one way. But if the truck veered out of its lane or didn’t have the right of way, that raises a whole different set of concerns. The absence of that basic detail is telling, and highlights how often these early reports leave the public in the dark.

That’s why a proper investigation needs to go far beyond the crash scene. Truck crash cases often hinge on hard data, things like engine control module (ECM) readings, dash cam footage and even the truck driver’s cell phone records. Was the driver distracted? Was the truck moving at a safe speed? Those questions can’t be answered just by looking at the wreckage. Investigators need to pull the data and let the facts speak.

There’s also a layer of scrutiny that should be applied to the trucking company. Was this driver screened and trained properly? Were they under pressure to meet a deadline? In one of my past cases, a company hired a driver who had been fired multiple times, then gave her a 20-minute road test and called it good. That shortcut in hiring led directly to a crash that never should have happened.

When a person ends up with life-threatening injuries, as the pickup driver reportedly did here, it’s not enough to assume it was “just an accident.” People deserve to know who made what decisions and whether those decisions were reasonable, or reckless.

Key Takeaways:

• The key fact missing here is where the collision happened relative to the intersection. This determines who may have had the right of way.
• Cell phone records, dash cam footage and ECM data are critical tools in understanding the truck driver’s behavior before the crash.
• Trucking companies can share responsibility if poor hiring or training practices contributed to the wreck.
• Thorough investigation, not guesswork, is the only way to determine who is truly accountable.
• Early police statements often omit critical details, which is why independent investigations are often necessary.