CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – Two people died in a crash that closed I-75 South for several hours on Saturday near the Kentucky state line.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), a GMC pickup truck was traveling southbound near mile marker 161 around 8:42 a.m. when it collided with a parked tractor-trailer on the right shoulder.
The driver, 21-year-old Jesus Eduardo Silva, and passenger, 20-year-old Denise Andrade, both from Georgia, died at the scene. Authorities confirmed there was no driver in the tractor-trailer during the incident.
The crash led to the southbound lanes being closed for several hours, reopening shortly after 3 p.m. Traffic was backed up across the state line into Whitley County, causing significant delays on Highway 25W heading into Jellico.
THP is conducting an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Emergency response involved local law enforcement and medical aid, with no additional injuries reported.
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