KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — One person is dead and two others were injured after two people got out of their vehicles on Interstate 75 in North Knox County where a tree had fallen.
The collision occurred on I-75 near Emory Road and Raccoon Valley Sunday night. When crews arrived they discovered one person dead and two others injured, Rural Metro said.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said a trooper responded around 11:13 p.m., saying the crash happened after a tree fell within the roadway. According to THP's incident report, 26-year-old Dylan Braden from Lake City was driving north on I-75 at mile marker 114 when he had come in contact with the tree and got out of his vehicle to check for damage.
A person driving behind him, identified as 33-year-old Jess Goforth from Charlotte, North Carolina, was able to avoid the tree and other vehicles, and stopped to check on Braden -- getting out of their vehicle as well.
THP said a third person driving north on I-75, identified as 61-year-old Tammy Harrell from Clinton, hit a concrete wall while trying to avoid the tree. The crash report said her vehicle then lost control and hit both Braden and Goforth.
The crash report said Braden was pronounced dead. Goforth and Harrell were both injured in the crash. Rural Metro said the two were taken to UT Medical Center with injuries of varying degrees of severity.
THP said it continues to investigate the crash. The crash report said any charges against Harrell are pending the investigation.