KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Between 10 p.m. and midnight on Saturday, there were at least four crashes near the University of Tennessee's campus, according to the Knoxville Police Department. Scott Erland, KPD's communications manager, said that's not usual.
"A little bit higher volume of crashes than you would see over a two-hour window. But it's nothing to be concerned about necessarily," Erland said.
Police arrested one man who was driving on World's Fair Park Drive. The report said Stephen Reece, 41, hit a curb before hitting a signpost and camera. His vehicle rolled over, struck a fence and hit a concrete barrier. Both the driver and his passenger were uninjured.
The police department also reported minor injuries from a crash on Whittle Springs Road. Erland said he wants people to be more attentive while driving on game days.
"There's a lot of excitement around the UT Football program, but I just wanna make sure that people who are partaking are always thinking about their safety and the safety of those around them," he said.
Erland said KPD sends almost 100 officers to the UT campus on game days. He said on game days there are around 100,000 people in a small area, which causes problems for police to deal with.
"A primary concern for us on game day is the amount of people on the road and making sure that those people get home to their destination and home as safely as possible," Erland said.
He said KPD works closely with the University of Tennessee Police Department to monitor campus and surrounding areas, specifically in the Fort Sanders neighborhood. UTPD responded to a call there right before the game. Jose Jasso Vasquez, 24, was charged with four offenses including DUI and reckless driving.
Erland said while the post-game crashes might not have involved fans leaving the game, people need to be safe driving on game days.
"Always just think about having a plan wherever you're enjoying the game from, whether it's from Neyland Stadium, whether it's from one of the establishments in town — have a plan to get where you're going and have a plan to get home safely and responsibly," he said.