KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Several people are in the hospital after a dump truck crashed into eight other vehicles on John Sevier Highway in Knoxville, police said.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation said police closed both directions of John Sevier Highway near Chapman Highway Monday afternoon after the crash.
A TDOT spokesperson said it happened near the intersection of Chapman Highway around 3:20 p.m.
TDOT initially said 10 vehicles were involved, but the Knoxville Police Department said that number was nine -- including a dump truck, three passenger vehicles and five motorcycles.
Police said the dump truck tried to slow down for stopped traffic but couldn't stop before crashing into the other vehicles.
KPD said the crash hospitalized several of the motorcyclists, including a woman who had life-threatening injuries. KPD said she is still in the hospital, and paramedics took the others to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. KPD said someone also took the driver of one of the passenger vehicles to the hospital.
The crash caused traffic backups toward Marble Springs. TDOT urged drivers to find different routes before John Sevier Highway reopened to traffic around 8 p.m. Monday.