Jimell Johnson Injured in Tractor-Trailer Accident in Smith County, TX
Smith County, TX -- May 10, 2022, Jimell Johnson was injured as the result of an accident where a semi-trailer crashed into Johnson.
Authorities were called to the area of I-20 and County Road 431 just before 11:00 a.m. Preliminary reports said that 84-year-old Jimell Johnson was in a Lincoln Town Car traveling eastbound along the interstate. After Johnson reportedly changed lanes into the inside lane, police say an 18-wheeler that had also switched lanes failed to control speed and rear-ended Johnson's vehicle.
Johnson was said to have non-incapacitating injuries due to the crash. Additional details surrounding the crash are not available at this time.
Commentary on Jimell Johnson 18-wheeler Accident in Smith County
Something that stands out here is the order of events mentioned. The truck driver apparently told officers that the victim changed lanes after they did, then the collision happened. Officers seem to believe this was because the truck driver failed to control their speed. A trucking company, however, could easily claim that the victim cut their driver off. It may seem like that wouldn't work, since police put forth another explanation, but these reports are rarely the infallible source folks take them to be.
For example, I had this case not long ago where police said a truck hit a disabled vehicle, but the trucking company claimed it was too dark to see the car. We knew the sway that could potentially have on a jury, so we started digging to get more evidence.
What we ultimately got was a court order for video footage from the truck's dash cam and a camera inside the cabin. The video clearly showed that the victim's car was visible nearly three-quarters of a mile down the road and completely avoidable. Unfortunately, the truck driver was too busy watching shows on his tablet to look up at the road.
Is it possible we would have had a successful case without the video evidence? Sure, but it would also leave too much room for the trucking company to muddy the waters with all kinds of other explanations. Being thorough and getting as much information as possible meant that the story was clear and there was no room to shift the blame. Perhaps similar efforts would show there is evidence like that here that can say with absolute certainty who and what caused the crash.
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