Maryville, TN : One killed in Blount County crash on U.S. 411 South on Saturday evening, January 28, 2017
Authorities said one person was killed Saturday evening in a two-vehicle collision on U.S. 411 South.
The crash between a pickup truck and SUV occurred in front of the Foothills Farmers Co-Op near Hitson Road at around 5:20 p.m. Authorities at the scene said three people were flown to the hospital via Lifestar helicopter. At least one other person was transported by ambulance.
While those involved in the crash were not immediately identified, authorities said the individual killed in the collision was a male passenger in the SUV.
The SUV was occupied by four people, while three people were in the truck, authorities said. Blount County firefighters had to extricate at least six of those occupants.
A man was driving the pickup, while a woman was driving the SUV, witnesses said.
While authorities did not immediately release any details on the cause of the crash, Madisonville resident Tom Garren told The Daily Times he was traveling about 200 yards behind the SUV when the crash occurred.
Garren said the driver of the pickup was traveling north toward Maryville in the left lane and veered across the center turn lane and into the left southbound lane.
The pickup then collided with the SUV, which was traveling south toward Greenback in the left lane, Garren said. While the truck nearly missed the SUV, it still collided with the vehicle in a near head-on crash, he said.
“I stopped,” Garren said. “When I seen him cross over, I was getting prepared to dodge him. But the SUV didn’t have a chance.”
Garren said he had been to Knoxville for a gun show and was on his way back to Madisonville.
“Another 10 seconds and he would have hit me,” Garren said. “... I seen him come over full speed into that turn lane and I knew there was something bad wrong.”
Garren said neither vehicle braked or even moved following the collision. The vehicles simply collided and stopped in their tracks, he said.
“Man, it was a collision,” Garren said. “... It was a tragic situation, very tragic.”
Maryville resident Brent Post, who followed several emergency vehicles to the scene, said the highway is extremely dangerous for southbound drivers at that time of day because of the glare from the setting sun.
“You can tell people are fighting (it) because people are slowing down,” Post said. “...You can barely see the brake lights, all you can see is that sun ... it’s blinding.”
Post said a co-worker who lives off Calderwood Highway drives it every day.
“He says it’s horrible coming up this way,” Post said. “... It’s just not a safe road to travel at this time of night. It’s very difficult.”
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Blount County Fire Department, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Rescue Squad and Rural/Metro Ambulance Service were all on scene.
More details, including the identities of those involved, will be released as they become available.
Source :
One killed in Blount County crash on U.S. 411 South