Felipe Yacuta Bermudez and Kevin Arevalo Silva Seriously Injured After Tanker Truck Accident on Highway 12 in Pasco, Texas

PASCO, Wash. — Two men were seriously injured Tuesday morning after a crash involving a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck pulling a tanker near the Snake River bridge. The incident happened along Highway 12.

According to authorities, the collision occurred when a truck driver from Moxee attempted to make a left turn and turned into the path of an oncoming Infiniti G37, resulting in a collision with the tractor and attached tanker.

The driver and passenger in the Infiniti, identified as Felipe Yacuta Bermudez and Kevin Arevalo Silva, both 18, were transported to the medical Center with serious injuries. Their conditions have not been released.

The truck driver was cited for failing to yield the right of way.

When a Truck Driver Fails to Yield, Accountability Must Happen

It is good that the truck driver received a citation, but that is not enough. Two young men have been left seriously injured and will have a long road ahead, recovering physically and mentally, while also dealing with the financial burdens that a crash like this leaves behind.

Through years of handling similar cases, we know that these crashes are often preventable and often the result of earlier failures. In other words, there is often a pattern of not driving safely, disregarding basic rules, and a lax approach to hiring, training, and ensuring that truck drivers follow safety policies. When this happens, the truck driver and the trucking company are responsible for the incident and should be held accountable.

But uncovering what happened here requires going beyond the initial police report. It means a closer look at the driver’s actions, the company behind the truck, and whether this turn should have been made in the first place. That kind of investigation is what determines where responsibility truly lies.

Giving the right of way is not optional. Obeying simple safety rules can be the difference between life, serious injury, and death. When a commercial driver fails to yield the right of way, someone pays the price. Here, the cost fell on two young men.

We hope that Mr. Bermudez and Arevalo make a full recovery and find the answers they need to move forward.

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The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in auto and truck accidents that result in serious injury or death.

Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author.