CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. — The Tennessee Highway Patrol said three people from Kentucky, including a 3-year-old child, suffered injuries after a crash shut down Interstate 75 in Campbell County Friday.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation said Interstate 75 Southbound had to be closed for a few hours in Campbell County North of Caryville after a wreck at Mile Marker 147. TDOT initially reported the incident as a single-vehicle crash, but THP's initial crash report said two vehicles collided.
Troopers arrived to the crash around 12:14 p.m.
According to the crash report, a car and an SUV were driving south in the left lane when the SUV began to slow down. Troopers said the car began to merge into the right lane but veered back into the left lane, hitting the SUV.
Troopers said the car lost control -- and went off the road before rolling over and coming to a rest on the left side of the interstate. The SUV was able maintain control and stop on the left side of the interstate.
THP said the three from Kentucky were inside the car, and all three suffered injuries. The crash report said a Lifestar helicopter arrived to fly the 3-year-old child to a hospital. Troopers said the child's injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.
No one inside the SUV was hurt in the crash.
According to THP, the driver of the car with the child in it -- 23-year-old Shane Preston from Nicholasville, Kentucky -- and a 23-year-old female passenger were not wearing seatbelts at the time. Troopers said the child's restraints were also improperly used.
THP said charges are pending against Preston for not wearing a seatbelt, improper child restraints, and failure to exercise due care when changing lanes.
Traffic on I-75 was backed up for several miles as emergency crews responded. As of 3 p.m., all lanes had reopened and traffic was flowing again.