A two-vehicle accident closed down a section of Mary Patton Highway at the intersection of Gap Creek Road Thursday around 5 p.m. as officials worked to clean up the wreckage.
According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Officer J.D. Gregory, a blue Ford Escape SUV pulled off of Gap Creek Road into the path of a white tractor trailer which was traveling northbound on Mary Patton Highway. The tractor trailer struck SUV before turning onto it side, spilling its contents.
“He (driver of the tractor trailer) attempted to avoid the impact and rolled to his passenger side dumping his load of 25 tons of wood chips,” said Officer Gregory.
The driver and only occupant of the Ford Escape was transported to the hospital for evaluation while the driver of the tractor trailer was not taken to the hospital.
The accident was still being investigated prior to the Elizabethton Star’s press deadline. A report from the THP is to be expected in the coming days.