Kathy Harmon Killed in Truck Accident on US-30 in Atwood, IN
Atwood, IN — June 22, 2022, 47-year-old Kathy Harmon died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 30 in Atwood.
According to reports the incident happened around 12:30 p.m. on US-30 near County Road 500W. Preliminary investigation suggests Harmon was eastbound on the highway behind a tractor-trailer. Nearby, a westbound big rig crossed over the center line for unknown reasons, glancing off the eastbound truck's trailer before colliding head-on with Harmon's Toyota Yaris in the median.
Harmon was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation continues. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Kathy Harmon Accident on US-30 in Atwood
Reports say an 18-wheeler crossed over the center line and caused this crash. Folks might reasonably assume that means the crossover driver (and by extension his employer) will be held responsible for what happened. Fault is never automatic like that, however, and trucking companies use that to their advantage. That's why it's critical to find clear evidence and learn the full and true story.
Here's an example of why every detail must be accounted for: I once worked on a case where a commercial truck hit the victim's car almost head-on at night, causing fatal injuries. It seemed obvious that the truck driver crossed over and caused the crash, but his employer insisted he wasn't to blame. They said their driver couldn't see the victim's car because it had no headlights--not that they weren't activated, but that it didn't even have the light bulbs.
Obviously that seemed absurd, so we went to where the vehicle was stored and looked for ourselves. Sure enough, the headlights had no bulbs. We saw scratch marks around the sockets, though, which was fishy. The facility's check-in logs showed the trucking defense team was there not long before us. Security footage showed they brought hand tools and removed the lights themselves, all to reinforce their invented story and dodge responsibility.
If that seems crazy I agree, but it really happened. Not every defense attorney is desperate enough to tamper with evidence, but that story is an example of why careful and thorough investigation must always be conducted in situations where it's possible to introduce any doubt about fault. Trucking companies have assets and reputations to protect, and they'll fight like hell unless and until victims and their families show enough proof that there's no room for debate.
That's why I typically advise people caught in these situations not to lean on news or police reports, which can easily be disputed. Instead I recommend enlisting the aid of independent accident reconstruction experts with the tools and know-how to do the job right.
