One-Killed In Multi-Vehicle I-24 Crash Late Wednesday

Nov 27, 2014 at 06:38 am by bryan


Here in Rutherford County, the extended Thanksgiving weekend has already suffered a fatality on the interstate. It occurred at 11:50 late Wednesday night (11/26/2014) on the Sam Ridley Parkway exit ramp and I-24 eastbound (toward Chattanooga). A La Vergne man was killed, and a Murfreesboro man was injured in the 5-vehicle crash.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Carl Seagroves explained that a 2007 Chrysler 300 was stopped in the far right lane, near the merge lane of the Sam Ridley Parkway exit ramp that goes onto eastbound I-24. A 1989 Honda Accord struck the Chrysler in the rear. At that point, Decarlos Blackshear exited the Chrysler. It was then that a 2004 Ford Escape reportedly swerved to avoid hitting the Honda, and hit Mr. Blackshear, who was in the travel lane.

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Highway Patrol Spokesperson Dalya Qualls told NewsRadio WGNS that Blackshear was 34-years old and lived in La Vergne. He died at the accident scene.

Trooper Seagroves notes that the MVA (multi-vehicle accident) escalated as the Ford Escape rolled across the interstate and slammed into the center median barrier. The Escape was then hit by a 2005 Ford Focus and 2008 Hyundai Sonata. Those two vehicles were able to come to a controlled stop on the interstate, and there were no injuries in those vehicles.

In addition to the fatality, 31-year old Keith Knowles of Murfreesboro was injured in this 5-vehicle crash late Wednesday night. He was driving the Honda.

I-24 eastbound was closed until approximately 2:30 Thanksgiving morning, while investigators gathered information and crews cleared the debris.

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