UPDATE: A juvenile is dead following a crash on Interstate 26 Saturday afternoon.
According to the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD), a Mazda driven by Keyona Dukes was traveling westbound on I-26 when the vehicle traveled off the roadway, through the median’s cable barrier, and into the eastbound lanes.
The release states that the Mazda then collided with a Toyota Sequoia. Both vehicles then struck a Dodge Journey, according to the release.
All three vehicles then left the roadway and struck an earthen embankment where the Mazda overturned and the Sequoia came to rest on top of it.
Both occupants of the Mazda, Dukes and a juvenile passenger, had to be extracted from the vehicle and were transported to the hospital. The juvenile passenger died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
The drivers of the other vehicles were not seriously injured in the crash.
JCPD’s Crash Reconstruction Team responded and is conducting the investigation.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation reported at 4: 30 p.m. Saturday that all lanes are back open and traffic has cleared on Interstate 26.
PREVIOUSLY: BOONES CREEK, Tenn. (WJHL) — A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 26 has the eastbound lanes closed Saturday afternoon, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).
The TDOT’s SmartWay Traffic Map shows the crash was reported at around 12:16 p.m. near Exit 17. Photos obtained by WJHL show several first responders on the scene and vehicles in an embankment.
The Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) said in a post that the crash involved three vehicles total, traffic is being rerouted and drivers should avoid the area, if possible. TDOT said eastbound traffic is being rerouted at Exit 13 in Gray.
The TDOT map shows traffic backed up on the westbound side of I-26 near mile marker 17, as well.
