In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns looks at the often catastrophic and unexpected ways an ordinary drive can turn deadly when a vehicle encounters a hazard on the roadway. Through memories of his old 1979 Mustang and fatal cases involving wildlife strikes, blown tires, and flying road debris, he shows how quickly an everyday trip can turn into a forensic case.

Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

(0:30) Why fatal crashes are a near-daily part of work in the morgue

(2:00) Dr. Crowns’ 1979 Mustang and Beth’s nighttime deer collision in Kansas

(4:45) Case one: a deer crashes through a pickup windshield, killing the driver instantly

(6:45) Why deer-related crashes happen in the fall, and why time of day and headlights make them even more dangerous

(10:00) A tire-blowout beside the ‘79 Mustang on the Memphis beltway

(11:45) Case two: a woman is killed after a semi-truck tire smashes through her windshield and roof

(15:15) Causes of wheel-off accidents

(16:30) Case three: a passenger is killed when a piece of steel falls from a flatbed truck

(18:45) Road debris, evasive driving, and the everyday hazards drivers never see coming

About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology.

About the Show: Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations.

Connect and Learn More: Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts. If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself—follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

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