Dual Tennessee car accidents kill 1, injure 2 officers

A fatal car crash killed one man and injured others on Monday, June 23. Sadly, the decedent was a former member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. The former patrolman was transported to a local hospital after the head-on collision on Highway 75. The man died the day after the car accident.

The incident occurred when a car drove across the center line of the freeway and crashed head-on into a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction. The former patrolman was a passenger in the pickup truck, which was being driven by a 23-year-old man. The car that crossed the center line was driven by a 20-year-old woman; however, she was not the owner of the vehicle.

During the reconstruction after the collision, a 19-year-old man slammed on his brakes in order to avoid crashing into a slowing car in front of him. His car then swerved off the freeway hitting two troopers with the Critical Incident Response Team. Both troopers underwent treatment at a local hospital and were eventually released. Citations are pending in the second accident.

Authorities have attempted to reconstruct the scene of the accident on the Tennessee freeway in order to gain more understanding into the possible causes. There have been no reports as to the reason why the car crossed the center line into oncoming traffic. Ultimately, the reasons why the car drove onto the wrong side of the road could be used in a civil suit against the driver should those injured or the family of the man who died choose to pursue such action.

Source: Officer.com, “Tenn. Officers Hit at Scene of Ex-Officer’s Fatal Crash,” Michael Owens and James Shea, June 28, 2012