Lamb County, TX — June 1, 2025, Zack Rankin was killed and Hailey Spangler was injured following a car accident at around 9:30 p.m. on County Road 242.
Preliminary details about the accident say that it took place near the intersection of CR-242 and US Highway 385.
According to officials, 19-year-old Zack Rankin and 20-year-old Hailey Spangler were in a vehicle going along the roadway. Authorities say that a pickup somehow crashed into their vehicle. As a result, authorities say Zack Rankin was killed. Hailey Spangler was taken to a hospital with reportedly serious injuries.
The pickup driver’s injuries were reportedly minor. Right now, additional details about the crash are unavailable.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When a young life is lost and another left seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash, especially on a rural stretch of road, early reports often leave out more than they reveal. But what matters most isn’t just what happened—it’s whether the right steps are being taken to understand how and why.
1. Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash?
In a wreck where one vehicle strikes another, the question isn’t just about contact—it’s about sequence, speed, and decision-making. Did investigators reconstruct the collision, mapping out who was where and how fast they were moving? Did they look into whether either driver had time to react or if something happened suddenly? It’s not enough to say a pickup “somehow” hit another car. That gap needs to be filled with hard evidence, not assumptions.
2. Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash?
When collisions happen without a clear explanation, mechanical failure must be part of the conversation. Could the pickup have experienced brake loss or steering failure? Was there a crash avoidance system glitch in either vehicle that led to a miscalculated move? These things won’t be obvious at the scene. They require close, hands-on inspections before any vehicle is released or repaired.
3. Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Speed, throttle, braking, and steering inputs—all of this can be retrieved from modern vehicles, and it often tells a more reliable story than memory or speculation. Was the pickup accelerating or braking? Did the other vehicle make an evasive move? That kind of data can fill in the blanks, especially in a case where the survivors may not be able to speak for themselves.
Too many serious crashes are closed off with partial information, leaving more questions than answers. Accountability starts with asking everything that needs to be asked. If nothing else, this can help victims and families ensure they’re getting the whole story.
Takeaways:
- Clear answers depend on whether the scene was reconstructed, not just reported.
- Vehicle defects in either car may have been a contributing factor.
- Electronic data from both vehicles could be key to understanding how the crash unfolded.
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