Wlaf1450RIDGEWOOD, TN (WLAF) – As a southbound accident on I-75 happened on Thursday afternoon at 3:44 pm, a northbound accident happened seconds later from an immediate slow down of traffic.
SOUTHBOUND WRECK DETAILS
In the report filed by Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Stephen Barclay, the trooper outlines that 53-year old Teresa Rathburn of Albion, Michigan, was driving a 2002 Ford F-250 truck. Rathburn was headed south when negotiating a curve near Mile Marker 131, and the truck and trailer started to jack knife. Barclay notes that the F-250 was pulling a fifth wheel camper and a two-axle dump trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,500 pounds.
The report spells out that Rathburn’s truck veered off the interstate to the right and struck an embankment. It continued traveling off the roadway and the fifth wheel camper overturned onto the left side. It all came to an uncontrolled final rest off the interstate on the right side.
Barclay wrote, “Rathburn admitted knowing the weight was over the GVWR.”
Rathburn was wearing a seatbelt, was uninjured and was charged with due care and financial responsibility according to the report.
NORTHBOUND WRECK DETAILS
Northbound travelers slowed down due to an accident on the southbound side of Interstate 75 on Thursday afternoon, a chain reaction wreck happened involving four vehicles on the NB side.
Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Michael Freels details the 3:45 pm mishap that involved four vehicles and five people. All vehicles were northbound on Interstate 75 in left lane near Mile Marker 131. Traffic was slowing due to a crash on the southbound side. All vehicles failed to slow in time and impacted each other. Vehicle #1, a 2013 GMC Terrain, # 3, a 2011 Ford Flex, and # 4, a 2005 GMC Sierra, came to a controlled final rest, on the west side of Interstate 75, on the shoulder, facing north. Vehicle # 2, a 2011 Cadillac DTS, came to an uncontrolled final rest, in lane # 1. the fast lane, of Interstate 75, facing north. A passenger in the Cadillac, 59-year old Eileen Holcomb of Dacula, Georgia, was injured.
John Halcomb, age 58, of Dacula, Georgia, was the driver of the Cadillac while 26-year old Charles Bowerman of La Follette was behind the wheel of the Terrain. Vehicle #3, the Flex, was driven by 34-year old Jonathan Norman of La Follette while Bailey Owens, age 21, of Jacksboro was driving the Sierra. All five occupants were wearing seat belts according to Trooper Freels report. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/22/2020-6AM-UPDATED – 05/23/2020-NOON)