Charges are pending against the driver of a tractor trailer truck and an ambulance involved in a five-vehicle accident early today (2.13.19) on I-40 at mile marker 22.4 near Lakeland, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP).
Sgt. Chris Richardson, public information officer/special programs with THP, said one of the drivers, Daniel Barksdale from Antioch, TN, was traveling westbound on I-40 in lane 2 in a 2016 Peterbilt tractor trailer (vehicle #2) as were a driver and passenger in a 2012 International tractor trailer truck (vehicle #1).
Mr. Barksdale impacted the rear end of vehicle #1 about 1:29 a.m., said Sgt. Richardson. “The impact caused the cab of vehicle # 2 to come completely off of the chassis and come to final rest in the median with the driver inside, and the remainder of Vehicle # 2 totally disabled in lane # 2 facing west. The impact caused Vehicle # 1 to come to final rest in lane # 2 totally disabled facing west.
The driver and passenger in vehicle #1 are from Laredo, TX.
All three in the trailer tractor trucks were transported to Regional One where the passenger had a heart attack and died, according to Sgt. Richardson.
In a second accident following the tractor trailer trucks crash, charges are pending against the driver of a Shelby County Fire Department (SCFD) ambulance who crashed into a Tennessee Highway Patrol SUV and a Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) SUV.
The second incident happened at 1:41 a.m. in the same area of I-40. The driver, Matthew C. Christianson of Germantown, and passenger, John Conrey from Lakeland, both in the ambulance, were transported to Regional One.
Sgt. Richardson said the THP and SCSO SUVs both were stationary, with visual emergency equipment engaged, on I-40 at the 22.4 mile marker. The THP vehicle was partially in lane 1 and the grassy media. The SCSO vehicle was fully parked in lane 1.
After both drivers had exited their vehicles, vehicle 3 (the ambulance) was traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 approaching the 22.4 Mile Marker in lane 1, said Sgt. Richardson. “As vehicle 3 approached vehicles 1 and 2, the driver of vehicle 3 failed to look ahead of his vehicle, causing the left front section of vehicle 3 to impact the right rear section of vehicle 1.
“After impacting vehicle 1, vehicle 3 continued to travel eastbound in lane 1, causing the front section of vehicle 3 to impact the rear section of vehicle 2. After impact, both vehicle 1 and 2 came to an uncontrolled final rest in the grassy median, facing north. After impact, vehicle 3 entered the grassy median, traveling eastbound. After entering the grassy median, vehicle 3 came to an uncontrolled final rest in the grassy median, facing east.”
East and westbound traffic was stalled for more than six hours on I-40.
Although the ambulance housed at the fire station in Lakeland was involved in the crash, Brent Perkins, public information officer for SCFD, said an identical ambulance was at the station and immediately equipped for service. He said the Lakeland area is thoroughly covered and units from Eads, Bolton and Arlington are also staged and ready for any emergency.
… Photo by Jim Willis, Lakeland Currents
