Multiple people were injured and one was killed in an accident that police are saying was fueled by drugs and alcohol.
The accident happened right around 5:30 p.m., on I-40. According to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, a Toyota Camry was heading east when it went out of control. It flew into the median and was thrown into the air, coming down on top of a Honda Accord that was going west in the opposite lanes. It bounced off of the Accord and then got hit by a Dodge Ram 1500 and a Mazda B2300.
Two people had life-threatening injuries, and they were airlifted from the scene to UT Medical Center. The person who died was a passenger in the Toyota that allegedly caused the wreck, and so charges against that driver are pending.
While the police did say that alcohol and drugs factored into the wreck, they also noted that all involved had their seat belts on. If they hadn’t, even more people could have been killed or seriously hurt.
The accident was bad enough that the westbound lanes were completely shut down for about four and a half hours, only opening back up around 10 p.m.
Accidents like this are very frightening because there is little to nothing other drivers can do to stop or avoid the crash. Those in the westbound lanes were simply driving along and probably not even watching eastbound traffic, all the way across the median, when they were hit. When an accident like this takes a life or causes serious injury, those who were involved may be able to seek financial compensation.
Source: WATE, “Drugs, alcohol were factors in fatal I-40 crash in Knox County,” March 14, 2017