Bobby Hamilton Killed in Three-Vehicle Accident on US-96 in Jasper, TX
Jasper, TX -- April 28, 2022, 87-year-old Bobby Gene Hamilton was killed in a three-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 96 in Jasper.
Authorities say the incident happened around 11:40 a.m. on US-96 near Recreational Road 255. Preliminary investigation suggests Hamilton was driving a Ford F-150 south on the roadway when he crossed over the center line for unknown reasons. The Ford hit a northbound Peterbilt truck towing a mobile home, dragging down its left side, then collided with a Hino box truck a short distance behind the mobile home.
Hamilton suffered fatal injuries in the crash. The other drivers involved were unhurt.
No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Bobby Hamilton Accident on US-95 in Jasper
If authorities are sure the victim crossed over first in this accident (I've seen them make mistakes about that before), there's still the urgent question of why he did. I know from doing this a long time that some people probably just blamed a driver mistake like speeding or looking at a phone before losing control; those are pretty commonly behind crossover crashes, but there are other potential explanations that need to be considered as well. Could the Ford have blown a tire or had a mechanical failure? Did the driver have some kind of incapacitating medical issue that took away his control? Were there any hazardous road conditions that might have taken away the pickup's traction? Those may not be as common as distraction or simple careless driving, but they and other possibilities can't be dismissed without proper investigation.
What I'm getting at is things aren't always as straightforward as they may appear. Police have some preliminary theories about what happened, but this soon after the crash they likely haven't been as thorough as possible and ensured every possibility was covered. Since they have a plausible story ready, though, they may soon wash their hands of the matter. That's why I often suggest working with independent accident reconstruction experts who devote the proper time and care to finding all the facts. At the very least, the victim deserves the benefit of the doubt unless clear evidence is found that says otherwise.
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