One person was injured in an accident Wednesday morning on Interstate 81 in Greene County in which a box truck hit a tractor-trailer that was parked on the side of the road due to mechanical issues.
The accident occurred around 7:45 am at mile marker 43. A 2023 Chevrolet box truck driven by 53-year-old Lumari Harshaw was traveling north, drove onto the shoulder of the roadway, and struck the tractor-trailer.
According to the report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Harshaw was trapped inside the box truck and had to extricated. EMS then transported Harshaw to the Johnson City Medical Center for suspected serious injuries.
Charges against Harshaw are pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the THP.
While emergency personnel were responding to that wreck, a second crash occurred nearby shortly after 8:00 am when a 2005 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by 65-yer-old Patrick Gaines was traveling northbound around mile marker 40 and was stopped in traffic in the right lane. A 2015 Toyota Highlander driven by 84-year-old Harold Heno Jr. was stopped behind Gaines. A 2018 FedEx delivery van driven by 53-year-old Mitar Kukrkic was traveling behind the Toyota.
The Fedex van reportedly failed to stop and the Toyota swerved to the right as the van was approaching it from the rear. The van struck the Toyota in the rear end as it was turning, then continued forward and struck the tractor-trailer in the rear. The Toyota then spun to the left and ran off the roadway, striking a small tree. After impact, the tractor-trailer was disabled in the right lane. The van moved to the right shoulder after impact.
Gaines and Kukrkic were not injured. The driver of the Toyota and his passenger, 83-year-old Linda Heno, were injured in the wreck. The report from the THP did not indicate the severity of their injuries.
In addition to the THP and EMS, the Greeneville Emergency and Rescue Squad and area volunteer fire departments responded to the scene.
