The Knoxville Police Department is investigating a fatal crash that happened early Sunday morning on I-40 East.
At around 5 a.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2023, KPD officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on I-40 East near Strawberry Plains Pike. Based on the preliminary investigation, it is believed that an eastbound vehicle made a U-turn and started driving the wrong way on I-40 East when it was struck by another vehicle. Both vehicles then caught on fire.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver of the second vehicle was transported to the UT Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
A third vehicle drove through the debris and hit an unknown object before coming to rest in the median. The driver of that vehicle was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation by KPD crash reconstruction personnel. The identity of the victim is being withheld at this time.