A 38-year-old woman, Marcelina Aguilarmendoza of Austin, was injured in a crash involving a semi-truck Tuesday afternoon on Highway 218. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, both Aguilarmendoza’s Kia Rio and a 2021 Mack Pinnacle semi-truck were traveling southbound near the intersection with 18th Avenue Northwest when the collision occurred around 3:34 p.m. Aguilarmendoza was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin with non-life threatening injuries. The truck driver was not hurt. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
With both vehicles headed in the same direction before impact, investigators will need to determine how and why the two collided.
What Was the Position of the Vehicles Before the Collision?
One of the first questions investigators will likely ask is whether either driver made a sudden movement or failed to maintain a safe following distance. Since both vehicles were traveling southbound on the same road, it’s possible that braking, lane position, or merging played a role. A detailed review of the traffic flow near the intersection and the position of both vehicles leading up to the crash will help clarify what happened.
Could Mechanical Issues Have Played a Role?
Even when a driver appears to have done everything correctly, mechanical problems—such as brake failure, steering issues, or worn tires—can still lead to a collision. Investigators may need to inspect the semi-truck to rule out any such defects. Regular maintenance records, recent inspection reports, and the truck’s condition at the time of the crash will all be important. If a malfunction limited the driver’s ability to slow down or maneuver, that would be a key factor in understanding how this crash occurred.
Key Evidence That Should Be Reviewed
To understand the circumstances of this crash, it’s important to examine vehicle damage, crash debris patterns, and any available dash cam or surveillance footage from nearby businesses. Statements from both drivers and any witnesses will also help clarify the sequence of events. In cases involving semi-trucks, reviewing the truck’s Engine Control Module (ECM) data can provide insight into the vehicle’s speed and braking right before the impact. If there are discrepancies between statements and physical evidence, this information can be critical to finding the truth.
Why Every Detail Deserves Careful Examination
When a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck collide, the risk of serious injury is always high. That’s why it’s important to thoroughly investigate even when the initial injuries appear non-life threatening. The goal is not only to determine whether the truck was being operated safely, but to ensure all contributing factors are understood. A clear understanding of the facts allows those affected to get answers about what happened and why.