Mohammad Pirzad Killed in 18-Wheeler Accident on I-80 near Potter, NE
Potter, NE — December 3, 2022, 42-year-old truck driver Mohammad Pirzad died in an 18-wheeler accident on Interstate 80 in Cheyenne County.
Authorities say the incident happened Saturday night along I-80 near mile marker 40, a few miles outside Potter. Preliminary investigation suggests Pirzad was driving a semi-truck hauling a trailer of hazardous materials west on the highway when he allegedly left the road onto the grass shoulder for unknown reasons. A witness said the truck veered sharply back onto the road but overturned onto its passenger side, blocking the westbound lanes.
Pirzad was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.

Commentary on Mohammad Pirzad Accident on I-80 near Potter
Folks may read that a truck went out of control and quickly assume the truck driver did something wrong. While it's true that operator errors cause many single-vehicle accidents, they're far from the only possibility and can't be taken for granted. It's much too soon to reach any conclusions about what caused this tragic incident, and a full and thorough investigation is needed to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
For example, more of these crashes are caused by vehicle failures and defects than folks may realize. Part of the reason they don't come to mind often is because authorities rarely have the right tools and training to look into them, meaning many drivers get unfairly blamed for wrecks that were out of their hands. Could something like that happen here, and to avoid that mistake should properly-trained and -equipped experts look again to help uncover the whole story?