Rice County, MN — June 9, 2025, two people were injured in a truck accident at about 11:05 a.m. on southbound Interstate 35 near Northfield.
Authorities said a 2022 International semi-truck and a 2011 Jeep Liberty collided near mile marker 71.
Both drivers were hospitalized after the crash, according to authorities. The Jeep driver, an 18-year-old Lyle resident, suffered serious injuries, while the truck driver, a 22-year-old from Council Bluffs, IA, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Rice County crash at this time. The accident is still under investigation.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When people hear that a semi-truck collided with a passenger vehicle on I-35, their first question is usually some version of, “How does something like that happen?” And that’s the right question. Not just because two people were hurt, but because vague headlines don’t tell us anything about why these crashes occur or who may ultimately be responsible.
From what’s publicly available, we know a semi-truck and a Jeep collided near mile marker 71, and both drivers were hospitalized. But that bare-bones information leaves a lot of key questions unanswered. Did the truck hit the Jeep, or the other way around? Was one of the vehicles stopped? Was there a lane change, mechanical failure or some evasive maneuver? We don’t yet know what role, if any, the actions of either driver played in causing this crash.
Crashes like this one don’t get solved by guesswork; they get solved by evidence. The most important tool for getting clarity is the truck’s electronic control module (ECM), often called the “black box.” That device records things like speed, braking and steering inputs. Combined with dashcam footage (if available), driver cell phone records and any in-cab video systems, investigators can often reconstruct the moments leading up to the impact with a high degree of accuracy.
Another critical step is understanding the driver’s history. Was the trucker properly trained? Did they have a history of unsafe driving? I’ve seen cases where a driver was on the road after being fired from multiple jobs for poor performance, and their employer turned a blind eye. Hiring decisions like that can carry serious consequences.
Even if the trucker followed the rules, there’s still the matter of company policies. Did dispatchers push the driver to meet a tight schedule that encouraged risky behavior? Were hours-of-service regulations followed, or was the driver possibly fatigued? These are all open questions that only a thorough investigation can answer.
I’ve worked on enough truck crash cases to know that the answer rarely lies in a single detail. It’s often a chain of decisions — from the person who hired the driver to the policies that governed their route — that lead to serious harm. That’s why it’s crucial not to jump to conclusions or assign blame based solely on which vehicle looked worse in the aftermath.
The goal is to figure out exactly what happened. That takes time, expertise and access to the right evidence. Until then, every assumption is just noise.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s not yet clear what caused the crash between the semi-truck and Jeep on I-35.
- Critical evidence — including ECM data, dashcams and phone records — will help clarify the events leading up to the crash.
- Both driver behavior and company policies may be relevant in determining responsibility.
- Only a full investigation can reveal the facts needed to hold the right parties accountable.
call us 
Email Us 
Text us