Benny Suarez Killed in Truck Accident in Montgomery County, TX
Montgomery County, TX -- May 21, 2022, Benny Suarez was killed due to an accident where a truck crashed into a tree off-road.
In reports, the crash took place along FM 149 near Herring Boulevard at around 11:18 a.m.
According to officials, 59-year-old Benny Suarez was identified as the driver of a commercial truck traveling southbound on FM 149. For reasons unconfirmed, the truck ran off the side of the road and crashed into a tree.
As a result of the crash, Suarez sustained fatal injuries. Authorities said medical conditions may have played a role in the crash, but this has yet to be confirmed. No further information is available.
Commentary on Benny Suarez Truck Accident in Montgomery County
Seeing police bring up potential medical conditions leading to the crash, quite frankly, concerns me. To be clear, I can't say what did or didn't happen here. But commercial truck wrecks can be incredibly complex, and it's important to make sure investigators are asking the right questions.
For example, let's say evidence shows this was all the result of a medical emergency. How predictable was that? Many emergencies are simply unforeseeable tragedies, but that's not always true.
Not long ago, for example, I looked into a situation in which a truck driver had a medical event and crashed. Through our investigations, we found that the company allowed a driver behind the wheel whose medical history made it clear they could not safely operate a commercial truck. It was inevitable an issue would arise, putting the public and even the truck driver himself in serious danger. Would it be okay to simply let a negligent employer like that off the hook?
Of course, that's just one possibility. The other concern I have is authorities sometimes come up with something that seems reasonable, then they ignore every other possibility without actually doing a proper investigation. A crash like this can involve tire blowouts, cargo shifts, mechanical defects, road hazards, texting and driving, and even other drivers that left the scene. Without thorough investigations, something important can easily slip through the cracks.
Medical emergency or not, avoidable or not, a family affected by a tragedy like this at least deserves to know they're getting the full story. It's not clear if anyone is taking those steps here.
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