Sevier County, TN : Lanes back open after crash on I-40 in Sevier County on Thursday morning, July 17, 2014

The morning sun Thursday blinded the driver of a rental truck hauling a car on Interstate 40, causing a crash that closed all lanes at the Sevierville exit for more than an hour.

The crash in the eastbound lanes at the 407 interchange was reported at 7:11 a.m., according to Sevierville Police Department Detective Kevin Bush.

Traffic was diverted off I-40 at the exit to go around the crash scene and back onto eastbound I-40 at the same interchange. Travel lanes were reopened about 8:20 a.m., but traffic remained snarled as first responders continued to investigate and clear the wreck.

Bush said the Penske rental truck was hauling a car when the woman driving was blinded by the rising sun. He said two women and a 10-year-old girl were in the truck traveling from California to Virginia.

“They were in a rental truck towing a car and the sun got in the driver’s eyes and she struck a barrier and that caused the car to flip off,” Bush said.

The car came to rest on its top, complicating the clearing operation.

The truck struck a concrete barrier in place because of construction to alter the interchange into a diverging diamond configuration.

Bush said no other vehicles were involved.

Bush said initial reports that one of the truck’s occupants was entrapped probably arose from the condition of one of the injured women. He said she had broken ribs and first responders opted to leave her in the truck until paramedics could prepare her for transport, but there was no entrapment.

Bush said both women in the truck sustained “minor injuries.” The girl in the truck was not injured. He said all truck occupants were using seat belts.

Source :
Lanes back open after crash on I-40 in Sevier Co.