Pickup Driver, 47, Seriously Injured and Flown to St. Louis After Dump Truck Strikes His Truck From Behind on I-55 Near Matthews

Published by Dunk Law Firm

Published:

Branded Dunk Law Firm news card about the November 10, 2026, crash on southbound I-55 north of Matthews in New Madrid County, Missouri, in which a dump truck struck a pickup from behind and the pickup driver was seriously injured, with the phone number 888-551-3865. The background is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not the actual crash scene: an empty divided highway through wooded hills in daylight.

NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. — A 47-year-old man from Paragould, Arkansas, was seriously injured Tuesday morning, November 10, 2026, when a dump truck struck his pickup from behind on southbound Interstate 55 one mile north of Matthews, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's online crash report.

The Patrol lists the crash at 9:55 a.m. Both vehicles were southbound: a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado driven by the 47-year-old and a 1995 Peterbilt dump truck driven by a 66-year-old man from Dexter, Missouri. The report says the crash "occured as vehicle one slowed to make a left turn into the emergency vehicle crossover and was struck in the rear by vehicle two," and that the Silverado then struck the cable barrier.

The Silverado's driver was taken by Air Evac to St. Louis University Medical Center with serious injuries, the report says. It lists no injury for the dump truck's driver. Both vehicles were totaled and towed. As of this update, we found no news coverage or second official source; this article relies on the Patrol's online report alone. The report is preliminary and does not assign fault.

We are hoping for the injured man's recovery.

Key Facts

  • Location: Southbound I-55, one mile north of Matthews, New Madrid County (MSHP Troop E)
  • Date and time: Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 9:55 a.m. (MSHP)
  • Vehicles: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado and 1995 Peterbilt dump truck, both southbound (MSHP)
  • Injuries: Silverado driver, 47, of Paragould, Ark., serious; flown by Air Evac to St. Louis University Medical Center. No injury listed for the dump truck driver, 66, of Dexter (MSHP).
  • What the Patrol says happened: The Silverado slowed to turn left into the emergency-vehicle crossover and was struck from behind, then hit the cable barrier (MSHP)
  • Investigation: Missouri State Highway Patrol

Sources checked as of November 10, 2026, 3:08 p.m. CST. This line is not the article's publication date.

What Makes This Crash Different

Rear-end crashes involving heavy trucks are different from ordinary fender-benders because of weight. A loaded dump truck generally needs far more distance to stop than a pickup, so following distance, speed, brakes and attention matter even more. The Patrol's report also notes the Silverado was slowing to use the emergency-vehicle crossover, the median turnaround on the interstate. Why it was turning there, and whether that affected how the crash unfolded, are questions the investigation may address; the report makes no finding on fault.

The report also does not say who owned or operated the dump truck, whether it was working for a business or what it was carrying. Those facts can identify additional insurance and other parties, such as an employer or the company responsible for the truck's maintenance.

Questions Investigators May Examine

  • The dump truck's speed and following distance, and whether it was loaded.
  • The truck's brakes and maintenance records.
  • Who owned and operated the truck, and whether the driver was working for a business at the time.
  • Whether either vehicle had a dash camera, GPS or engine data recording the moments before impact.
  • Traffic conditions, signals or lights used by the Silverado before the turn, and the crossover's design.

These are investigative questions, not allegations that any driver, agency or company caused the crash.

What Remains Unknown

  • The names of the people involved, which the online report does not list.
  • The extent of the injuries and the person's current condition beyond what officials reported.
  • Who owned the dump truck and whether it was being used for work.
  • Whether any citation will be issued.

Evidence to Preserve

  • Request the crash report when it is available (see below) and keep the report or case number.
  • Find out where each vehicle is. Vehicles can be held as evidence. A person with legal authority can ask that a vehicle be preserved before it is repaired, salvaged or destroyed, while respecting any law-enforcement hold.
  • Ask about video early. Tell investigators or a lawyer about businesses, traffic cameras or doorbell cameras near I-55 north of Matthews. Recordings can be overwritten. Do not enter restricted property to get them.
  • Ask early about the truck's records. A lawyer can send a preservation request for dash-camera video, GPS or engine data, inspection and maintenance records, and driver logs, if they exist.
  • Keep original photos, texts and witness contact details without editing them.
  • Keep financial, work and insurance records, including medical bills, therapy and equipment costs, missed-work records, pay stubs, policies and claim letters.

Our guide on evidence that can disappear after a vehicle collision explains why preservation can matter before an investigation ends. Avoid public accusations, and do not post private medical or family documents.

How to get the crash report. This crash was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (online report no. 260475453). The Patrol's crash-report page says to wait ten days after the crash investigation, then use its request form; the basic report is $6, mail payment must be a check or money order, and the Patrol warns of a backlog and extended delivery times. Photos and reconstruction materials have their own request routes.

What Families Should Know

This is general information about Missouri law, not advice about anyone's claim, and it does not assume anyone is at fault.

How does fault work? Missouri follows pure comparative fault: any fault assigned to an injured person reduces the recovery in proportion, instead of cutting it off at a set percentage. The general rule comes from the Missouri Supreme Court's decision in *Gustafson v. Benda* (1983). Fault is decided on the evidence, and the sources we reviewed make no final finding.

Is there a deadline? Yes. Missouri sets filing deadlines for injury claims, and the right one depends on the type of claim and who the claim is against. We have not stated a specific period here, because it should be confirmed for the person's situation. Claims involving government vehicles or property, and claims for a person who later dies from injuries, follow separate rules.

Who pays medical bills now? Health insurance, auto medical-payments coverage and the at-fault party's liability insurance can each play a role, and the order depends on the policies. Our guide Who pays medical bills while an injury claim is pending? explains the basics.

A personal injury lawyer can explain these rules without assuming anyone is responsible. Before giving a recorded statement or signing an insurance release, understand what it covers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can more than one party be responsible? Possibly. Depending on the facts, the truck's driver, owner, employer or maintenance provider may be involved. The sources make no finding.

When can the crash report be requested? The Patrol says to wait ten days after the crash investigation and then use its request form. See the crash report section above.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

A case review can help identify which records to request, what evidence may need preserving, which insurance policies to look at and who may have authority to act. It cannot establish fault or promise compensation before the facts are known.

Dunk Law Firm handles wrongful death, catastrophic injury and commercial vehicle cases. Our St. Louis office serves injured people and families in New Madrid County and Southeast Missouri and throughout Missouri, and the firm also serves clients statewide in Texas, Tennessee and Wisconsin, with offices in Houston, Memphis and Milwaukee. Dunk Law Firm does not contact injured people or their families after a crash; if you have questions, reach out when you are ready.

For a free case review, call (888) 551-3865 or visit Dunk Law Firm. Help is available 24/7, with no upfront attorney fees. Ask about the written fee agreement and case expenses.

You do not need to have every document ready to ask an initial question.

Sources

Sources checked November 10, 2026, 3:08 p.m. CST.

  1. Missouri State Highway Patrol: Crash Report Details, incident 260475453 — official online crash report, Troop E

The images with this article are AI-generated editorial illustrations, not photographs of the actual scene.

Attorney advertising. General information, not legal advice. No outcome is guaranteed, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. This report does not imply representation of anyone involved. Attorney review or approval is not claimed. Responsible attorney: Orville Dunk.