Texas Jury Awards $49M in Fatal Crash Case Against OPG Logistics Driver

Key Details An Ector County, Texas jury awarded $49 million to the family of Steffan Robert Mick, 29, who was killed in a January 27, 2025 crash in Midland. Driver Biorkys Sanchez Fernandez, operating a Peterbilt for OPG Logistics LLC, failed to yield and made an unsafe left turn across FM 307, striking Mick's Chevrolet Suburban on the driver's side. Mick died at the scene, leaving behind a wife and two children. Why It Matters The verdict highlights serious consequences for hours-of-service violations and inadequate fleet safety practices. Evidence showed Sanchez had been driving over 12 hours and on duty more than 15 hours beyond her last eight-hour rest period, violating federal regulations. Investigators also found falsified Records of Duty Status. Company Accountability Jury findings revealed OPG Logistics failed to implement basic safety infrastructure required by law. The carrier operated without a driver training manual, safety manual, written policies, instructional videos, or driver performance reviews. The company had access to electronic logging data and alerts that could have detected violations before the crash occurred. Attorney Rob Ammons stated the verdict demonstrates this was no isolated mistake, but rather systemic negligence that led to a preventable tragedy.