Preventable Tragedies
Man, 21, Was Last Heard from on Christmas Eve. Days Later, His Body Was Found in Submerged Vehicle
A missing 21-year-old man was found dead after he crashed into a deep canal in California just before his family celebrated Christmas. The nightmare began between Wednesday, Dec. 24, and Thursday, Dec. 25, when family members reported a 21-year-old man missing, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release shared with PEOPLE. The man was later identified as Carlos Mendoza of Fresno, officials confirmed. With the help of phone location data, loved ones began their own search for the young man near the intersection of Herndon and Madsen avenues in Fresno County.
Read MoreMulti-vehicle pile-up closes portion of I-80 Eastbound
UPDATE: A section of I-80 Eastbound has reopened after being closed Monday for several hours following a multi-vehicle crash. According to Pennsylvania State Trooper Vaughn Norbert, state police in Clarion are investigating the crash, which took place at mile marker 69 to 70 in Clarion Township at 1 p.m. Troopers say any potential injuries from this crash are unknown at this time. Crews worked to clean the interstate of debris, causing hours-long delays and detours.
Read MoreN.Y. EMTs struck while assisting disabled motorist
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Two first responders were injured hospitalized Friday evening while helping a disabled motorist on the I-290 near Niagara Falls Boulevard. The EMTs from a Twin City Ambulance crew were helping the driver who skidded off the expressway around 9 p.m. Friday when another driver lost control of their car and crashed into the scene. One EMT was hit and pinned by the vehicles, while the other EMT was inside a car that was hit, according to Terence Clark, president of Twin City Ambulance.
Read MoreNew Stanton, PA – Tractor-Trailer Crash Shuts Down EB Near Allegheny Tunnel
New Stanton, PA (December 29, 2025) – Traffic on the eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike was severely disrupted on Monday, December 29, following a crash involving multiple commercial vehicles near the Allegheny Tunnel, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The incident occurred shortly before 6:00 a.m. near mile marker 129, between the Somerset and Bedford interchanges. State police reported that the initial crash involved a commercial vehicle that rolled onto its side while traveling eastbound.
Read MorePolice investigate multiple crashes involving 50+ vehicles on I-75
(WXYZ) — High winds and snow squalls are causing issues on the roads across metro Detroit on Monday. Northbound I-75 after McNichols in Wayne County was closed for several hours after a multi-vehicle crash occurred shortly before noon. It reopened shortly after 4 p.m. Michigan State Police say responding troopers determined there were 25 separate crashes involving 59 passenger cars and semi trucks. That total does not include cars that left the scene without a crash report being filed.
Read MoreISP: Semitruck strikes traffic control vehicle, spills cargo on roadway
POCATELLO, Idaho — The Idaho State Police (ISP) is investigating an early morning crash near Pocatello that has halted traffic on Interstate 15. According to ISP, around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, a semitruck with a trailer hit a “stationary traffic control vehicle” that was equipped with a crash attenuator. ISP reports the crash ripped open the trailer’s wall, leading to cargo being spilled along I-15. The crash also heavily damaged the stationary vehicle.
Read MoreMan stopped on side of I-295 near Pulaski Road dies after SUV collision
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man died in a crash on Interstate 295 at Pulaski Road, causing traffic backups on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. According to the FHP report, the 38-year-old man driving a box truck on north I-295 stopped on the side of the road for unknown reasons. When he exited the truck, a 65-year-old driver of a sports utility vehicle in the left lane veered from the travel lane onto the shoulder and hit the man.
Read MoreChild seating in backseat among 3 killed when truck slams into disabled car on NJ Turnpike
EAST WINDSOR — Two men and a child were killed Sunday afternoon when a tractor-trailer hit their SUV that was parked on the shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike. The GMC SUV was parked on the right shoulder of the northbound Turnpike lanes near Exit 8 (Route 133) in East Windsor around 1:30 p.m. Elin R. Waithe, 44, of Bloomfield, was standing outside the SUV when he and the SUV was hit from the rear, State Police said.
Read MoreCrash on Thruway in Esopus fatal for Kingston man
A man was killed Monday morning in a crash on the New York State Thruway in Esopus. His car struck a construction vehicle stopped in the left lane. The collision happened around 11:15 a.m. near mile marker 80.7 on the northbound side of I-87. Troopers from the Kingston barracks responded to the scene. A 2021 Mercedes-Benz was traveling in the left lane when it hit a stationary 2003 Freightliner. The truck was part of a work zone redirecting traffic for sign installation.
Read MoreMass. woman dies after crashing into disabled tractor-trailer on Maine Turnpike
A Massachusetts woman was killed after she crashed her vehicle into a disabled tractor-trailer on the Maine Turnpike on Monday afternoon. Shortly after 3 p.m., Maine State Police said they responded to a report of a fatal crash on the Maine Turnpike southbound in York. Their preliminary investigation indicates that a 2022 Western Star tractor-trailer was stopped with a mechanical malfunction in the breakdown lane. The driver of the tractor-trailer had placed reflective warning triangles in the breakdown lane as required.
Read More