Officers investigate deadly Benton Co. crash

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A woman is dead and a man in critical condition after a Sunday afternoon crash in Benton County shut down part of Highway 70 for more than an hour.

Two cars collided head-on Sunday afternoon on the busy highway.

“It’s very sad, and both of them are from Benton County,  so two of our county residents,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said.

Christopher says the wreck happened just before 5 p.m. a few miles outside of New Johnsonville.

“Our units responded along with the Benton County rescue squad,” he said. “We have one confirmed who has not made it.”

A second victim was extracted from their vehicle and transported by ambulance in critical condition.

“Due to weather we couldn’t get the helicopter in, so we have him en route by ambulance to Dickson Trauma Center,” Sheriff Christopher said.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

“I want to commend all our men out here on the scene, the rescue squad, the fire department and definitely my deputies and THP,” he said. “Everyone has worked really hard to get the one subject out on the entrapment.”

A dog was in one of the cars at the time of the crash.

Sheriff Christoper says he appears to be OK, but animal control will check him over and keep him until he can be reunited with his owner.

The victims’ names have not yet been released.