Single Car Crash Closes Portion Of I-40 East

The Eastbound lanes of a portion of Interstate 40 were closed in Cocke County for about an hour Friday morning. According to a preliminary report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 18 year old Carl Fitzgerald of Missouri was traveling eastbound near MM 433 at 7:45am when he fell asleep at the wheel and his 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo went onto the right shoulder. When the car hit the rumble strips, Fitzgerald came awake and pulled the wheel to the left, but overcorrected and crossed onto the left hand shoulder and struck the cable barrier separating the east and westbound lanes. After striking the cable barrier, Fitzgerald’s car went into a spin and flipped onto its top before sliding to a stop in the middle of the eastbound lanes. Fitzgerald was injured in the crash, although the severity of his injuries were not released.

Traffic had to be diverted onto Hwy 25-70 at exit 432. The eastbound lanes of I-40 were reopened around 8:45am.