Ian Simpson Killed in Truck Accident on SH 315 near Carthage, TX
Carthage, TX — December 11, 2022, 35-year-old Ian Simpson died in a collision with a tractor-trailer on State Highway 315 in Panola County.
Authorities say the incident happened around 4:00 a.m. on Texas 315 near mile marker 730, around 3 miles southwest of Carthage. Preliminary investigation suggests Simpson was driving a Chevy Silverado east in the highway's westbound lanes, against traffic, when he approached an oncoming Freightliner 18-wheeler. Investigators allege the truck driver swerved left to avoid a collision but Simpson mirrored the move and the vehicles collided in the eastbound lanes.
Simpson was fatally injured in the crash. The semi-truck driver was treated and released at the scene.
No further information is available at this time.
If reports about this accident have their facts straight some may think there's little else to say, but many crashes aren't nearly as simple as a few words from police or the news make them sound. For instance, so far there's no indication of exactly why the pickup was driving in the opposite lane. There are a lot of reasons that could happen—some within a driver's control and others decidedly not—and every one of them must be looked into in pursuit of the whole story.
Unfortunately police don't always have the time, tools, or training to look into every possibility. Over the years I've seen many instances where they either reach a conclusion they favor and then stop looking (even if they would have found evidence of something else), or they get called away by other priorities and never really find definitive answers for the people who need them. The victim's loved ones shouldn't be left with questions if there are answers to be had, so I hope authorities took the time and care needed to bring them some peace of mind.
