RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - This past Sunday should have been an easy one for drivers—partly sunny in the daytime, temps around 50, and no major weather issues. Instead, it turned into one of the most dangerous pre‑Christmas weekends we’ve seen in a while.
Deadly 8:02 p.m. Sunday Night I-840 Crash
And now, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has released details about yet another fatal crash—this one on I‑840 Sunday night at 8:02 p.m. According to THP’s preliminary report, 33‑year‑old Miguel Reyes Lopez was driving eastbound near the 67‑mile marker when his 2001 Toyota 4‑Runner left the roadway. He overcorrected, the SUV overturned, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Investigators say he was alone and not wearing a seatbelt.
Rear-End Fatal Crash 8:14AM Sunday
Emergency crews were stretched thin after a series of serious crashes across Rutherford County. At 8:14 a.m. Sunday morning (12/21/2025) a woman was killed when her vehicle rear-ended a stopped pick-up truck on the Old Fort Parkway at I-24.
Serious 2:21 p.m. crash on Armstrong Valley Rd.
Then 6 hours later a multi‑vehicle collision crash on Armstrong Valley Rd. at Veterans Parkway sent two people by LifeFlight and another by ambulance to area hospitals. Police told WGNS that at 2:21 p.m. Murfreesboro Police report that a 2015 Toyota Corolla ran a red light and collided with a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck. The force of the impact pushed the pickup into an SUV and a Jeep that were both stopped at the intersection.
Still Other Serious Traffic Crashes Sunday
NewsRadio WGNS is aware that several other accidents and medical emergencies occurred in that same short window of time. Our newsroom continues working to confirm details, but one question keeps coming up: Why so many crashes during a weekend with good driving conditions?
Holiday travel trends may offer part of the answer. AAA projected that more than 2.6 million Tennesseans would be on the road during the Christmas travel period, with the weekend before Christmas expected to be one of the most congested times statewide. Traffic experts note that afternoon hours are especially dangerous as normal rush‑hour patterns mix with holiday shopping, long‑distance travel, and drivers juggling multiple distractions.
What can help reduce these tragedies? Safety officials stress the basics: slowdown in heavy traffic, avoid multitasking behind the wheel, and make sure your vehicle is road‑ready—especially tires, lights, and wipers, which AAA says are common sources of holiday‑season breakdowns. And above all, buckle up. THP continues to emphasize that seatbelts remain the single most effective way to prevent fatalities in rollover crashes.
As we head into the final days before Christmas, authorities urge everyone to take a breath, take it slow, and stay focused. The roads are crowded, but a little extra caution can go a long way.
