Category: Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

In a bizarre accident in Tennessee last year, a man crashed into a tree after a chase with a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper. The man died in the auto accident, and now his family is saying the trooper drove right by the man’s vehicle without checking on his condition for at least several minutes. The family is suing the THP trooper for $10 million.

The incident happened last November. The man was apparently traveling at about 80 mph in a 40 mph zone and was being pursued by the officer. Volunteer TV’s website reports that the trooper’s “dash cam” video shows the ensuing events.

The chase didn’t last long and ended when the man crashed into the tree. The man’s family claims the video shows the trooper driving past the man’s car, where he was injured inside. After that he apparently pulled over farther up the road and waited for several minutes while listening to dispatchers.

When the trooper returned to the man’s car, it was on fire. Volunteer TV’s story says that the man ran toward the vehicle with a fire extinguisher “just to make it look good” for the media. The autopsy apparently revealed the man died instantly in the crash, but the man’s family might argue there was no way the officer could have known that.

No criminal charges were filed relating to the crash. The trooper, however, has faced several unrelated disciplinary actions since joining the THP in 2002.

Source: Volunteer TV, “A Knoxville family sues THP trooper for $10 million,” Sharee Gilbert, Feb. 2, 2012

When people drive fast on a windy highway or are unable to negotiate curves, the results can be tragic. Even wearing a seat belt isn’t always enough to save those involved in terrible car accidents.

An accident in Cumberland County last weekend is an example of one such tragedy. Two men died in the two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 70 north in Crossville on Saturday afternoon, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

A 51-year-old man was reportedly driving a 1987 Toyota west on the highway. Police say he apparently failed to negotiate a curve. This caused him to veer into the eastbound lane of the highway, where he struck a vehicle head-on.

That vehicle, a 2006 Kia, was driven by a 69-year-old man. A 78-year-old man was also riding along as a passenger. The driver of the Toyota and the passenger riding in the Kia were both killed. The driver of the Kia also sustained injuries, although his condition was not reported. The three men, all from Crossville, were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to a state trooper’s report.

The deadly crash serves as a sobering reminder to other drivers to be careful when rounding a curve on a highway, particular when driving at a high speed. Even though two men died in this crash, seat belts can make a world of difference in crashes like this, so it’s important to buckle up as well.

Source: Herald-Citizen, “Two killed in Cumberland crash on Saturday,” Mary Jo Denton, Jan 16, 2012

A tragic accident has left a 10-year-old girl and a man dead. The two-car accident happened on Buckner Road near its intersection with U.S. Highway 31 in Spring Hill, Tennessee.

According to the Tennessean, the driver of a Honda Accord for some reason slumped over in his vehicle, ran over an embankment at a Daily’s Market parking lot and collided with a Ford SUV, in which the girl was a passenger.

Rescue crews apparently found the girl pinned inside the SUV. After they managed to extricate her, she was airlifted via LifeFlight to Williamson Medical Center. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Another child and the girl’s father were treated at the scene. Their conditions were not clear following the wreck. The driver of the Honda was also taken to Williamson Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Spring Hill Fire Department first responders had to work the wreck for about an hour and a half. The fire chief says some of his staff has never seen an accident like this before.

The girl who died was a fifth grader at Heritage Elementary School. When students return next week, instead of being reunited with their friend, they will be greeted by grief counselors to help them work through the tragic loss.

The upcoming holiday weekend can be a deadly one on the roads. Too many drivers get behind the wheel when they shouldn’t, after they’ve had a few drinks. Please drive responsibly.

Source: The Tennessean, “10-year-old girl, man die in Spring Hill wreck,” Dec. 30, 2011

A tragic car accident in Knoxville earlier this month raised an interesting question. If a large, natural object such as a tree falls on your car, who is liable? Certainly not the driver.

A woman was traveling on Colonial Drive on a recent afternoon when a tree on some private property fell over and crushed her car. She died in what authorities call a “freak accident,” according to Volunteer TV. It apparently took crews two hours to remove her body from the car.

The city was called to remove the tree. As it turns out, the owner of the property on which the tree stood called the city to complain about it in the past. The city inspected it and noted that it leaned heavily toward the street, had a crack near the bottom and needed to be cut down. Clearly, that never happened.

The question is, why? The public service director for the city says the tree was not cut down by the city because it’s the owner’s responsibility. And the inspection apparently did not reveal that the tree was an “imminent threat,” Volunteer TV reports.

The city noted that if the tree had been on an abandoned property, it may have been cut down. Whether the tree was alive or dead, which responding firefighters apparently couldn’t determine, could ordinarily be a deciding factor in whether the owners were negligent.

The tragedy serves as a reminder for homeowners to regularly check the trees in their yards. A falling tree can be just as dangerous as a speeding semi truck.

Source: Volunteer TV, “Woman killed when tree crushed her car identified,” Sharee Gilbert, Dec. 15, 2011

The massive pileup in the midst of intense freezing fog made headlines in Tennessee earlier this month. The crash, which involved 50 vehicles, left two people dead and over a dozen injured. Now, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is saying it’s looking at safety enhancements to improve the section of limited-access highway where the huge car accident took place.

Visibility was terrible along Vietnam Veterans Boulevard the morning of the crash due to the weather. There were slippery spots on an elevated portion of the road, and vehicles began crashing into each other in the eastbound lanes of traffic.

One man died after his car went under the back of a tractor trailer truck. Another injured motorist died after managing to drive himself to a hospital.

According to the Republic, state transportation officials are considering using an electronic message board that could alert drivers of possible dangers a few miles before a treacherous stretch of road. A spokesperson for Tennessee Department of Transportation says they will also consider additional warning lights or signs in the crash area.

A review of the crash found that emergency workers’ response was adequate. Unfortunately, when the weather gets bad, sometimes not much can be done to improve conditions. That’s when it’s important for motorists to slow down and drive cautiously to avoid accidents.

Freezing fog is particularly dangerous since it greatly reduces visibility and results in slick spots. It’s always better to slow down if there’s any question about the conditions of the road.

Source: The Republic, “TDOT will look at safety enhancements to highway where 2 died in 50-car collision this month,” Dec. 14, 2011

You probably heard about the massive pileup near Nashville this week that left one man dead. Poor weather conditions, including fog and black ice, likely contributed to that fatal car accident.

It’s nearly the time of year when temperatures plunge and conditions such as black ice clog up the roads. About 80 percent of motorists agree that icy roads (and heavy rain) create the most difficult driving conditions.

Indeed, there are about 1.5 million accidents related to bad weather conditions every year, as well as 7,000 deaths. Now, some new technology might just help motorists become more aware of dangerous weather conditions, particularly black ice, which is practically undetectable to the naked eye.

Scientists have come up with an advanced sensor system that can measure levels of ice and snow, and then convey that information to driver via warnings.

The infrared sensors, which are embedded in the pavement, read the road’s surface temperature, as well as the temperature of the ground below the road, and then transmit that information to a remote computer.

Motorists can then get a green, yellow or red warning, to know the level of danger of road conditions. It’s hoped this will make drivers aware of when they need to be paying extra special attention.

What do you think? If this idea takes off, could it help prevent accidents? And if you were about to get behind the wheel and saw there was a “red” warning, would it make you drive any differently?

Source: Ivanhoe, “Safe or slippery – detecting dangerous roads,” Dec. 1, 2011

When a driver gets behind the wheel with passengers in tow, they have a responsibility to drive safely. When a motorist neglects that responsibility, it can put the passengers’ lives at risk. Unfortunately, that appears to be the case with a deadly car accident in Knox County recently.

A 31-year-old woman was reportedly driving recently with at least three passengers in her Subaru Impreza on Raccoon Valley Road near Ducks Way. For some reason, the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a culvert.

Two of the passengers, ages 22 and 29, were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and another 29-year-old passenger were airlifted to University of Tennessee Medical Center. Their injuries were apparently life-threatening, but they were listed in stable condition after being admitted, according to WBIR’s website.

No one in the car was wearing a seatbelt. After conducting a preliminary investigation, police also believe that alcohol played a role in the crash, as did speeding. Sources say charges were likely.

Unfortunately, those three factors – lack of seatbelts, consumption of alcohol and excessive speed – are a recipe for bad accidents. It’s important for drivers to be aware that their actions can affect the welfare of others. By that same token, it’s also important for passengers to trust that a driver can transport them safely.

Everyone traveling in a vehicle should be wearing a seatbelt. They can save your life, and not wearing one automatically puts you at unnecessary risk. Please drive safely.

Source: WBIR, “Charges pending in fatal weekend accident,” Oct. 31, 2011

When weather conditions deteriorate, it’s especially important to stay focused on driving, to slow down and to pay attention. When drivers don’t, there can be fatal consequences. A recent fatal car accident in Nashville may be a good example.

An 18-year-old man and his friend, both recent graduates of Jefferson County High School, were apparently headed east in a Honda Accord on Interstate 40 near Asheville Highway late one night last week. It was raining heavily, and it appears the driver lost control of the vehicle.

The car apparently flipped over onto its side and crossed over the median into the westbound lanes of the highway, where it smacked into a Chevrolet pickup truck. The 18-year-old men were both killed, while the driver of the pickup suffered life-threatening injuries. The 49-year-old man, who is reportedly from Georgia, was treated at UT Medical Center, according to WBIR’s website. No other information was released regarding his condition.

The wreck was so bad that the interstate was closed down for several hours. Investigators apparently were not able to determine if the men were wearing seatbelts, or if speed could have been a factor in the tragic crash.

The accident not only caused the two teens their lives, but put the truck driver’s life at risk. His recovery will likely involve facing large medical bills and insurance claims, which can be difficult for anyone to deal with.

Please drive safely, and remember that merely slowing down and paying attention can save lives.

Source: WBIR, “Teens killed in car crash remembered as ‘outstanding young men’,” Brian Barger, Oct. 20, 2011