MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — An Ohio woman was killed and her son critically injured following a crash involving a parked semi-truck on Interstate 75 Monday evening.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, the collision occurred when a white Volkswagen Tiguan struck the rear of a flatbed tractor-trailer that had been stopped on the right shoulder of the roadway.
The driver of the Volkswagen, identified as 47-year-old Tomiyia Smith of Mt. Sterling, Ohio, died at the scene as a result of her injuries. Her son sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to a children’s hospital for treatment, according to Monroe County Coroner Mark Goolsby.
Authorities stated that the semi-truck driver was not present at the time of the crash. A roadside assistance worker was reportedly underneath the vehicle when the collision occurred.
Public roadways are not where trucks should be parked or stopped
Encountering a parked tractor-trailer on an active roadway is not something drivers expect. These vehicles are not meant to be stopped in travel lanes, and when they are, they can pose serious hazards — especially in low-visibility conditions. What happened here reflects just how devastating those hazards can be.
Crash reports often place responsibility on the driver who strikes a stationary truck. But in my experience, collisions with parked semi-trucks require a closer look. A key question to ask is: Why was an 80,000 lb truck stopped in a shoulder lane to begin with?
We have represented families in similar cases where a loved one was initially blamed after colliding with a parked semi-truck. In one such case, authorities concluded that the passenger-car driver was at fault simply because the truck was stationary. Our investigation, however, showed that the truck never should have been there in the first place.
The truck driver claimed he had pulled over because of a flat tire, which at first appeared to be a legitimate emergency. But a deeper review revealed the tire had been under-inflated for months, weakening it over time and making failure inevitable. This was not a sudden emergency — it was the result of ignored maintenance and preventable safety failures that forced the driver to stop in a dangerous location.
By looking beyond surface-level conclusions, we uncovered negligence that played a direct role in that loss of life. The family gained not only compensation but also clear answers about what truly happened.
Ms. Smith’s family deserves the same careful examination here. They deserve to know whether this crash could have been prevented and whether the truck driver and the trucking company met the safety responsibilities required of commercial operators.
A mother has been taken from her family while her young son is still fighting for his life. At the very least, the family deserves answers. May they find the answers they need.
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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.
