Driver transported after Highway 70 crash involving tractor-trailer

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — A head-on collision brings Thursday morning rush-hour traffic to a complete stop on Highway 70.

“Highway 70 is dangerous. People do more than the speed limit here,” Anastacia Ratcliff said.

Emergency crews raced to the scene around 7:45 Thursday morning after receiving a call of a crash involving an 18-wheeler.

“One vehicle hit the truck head-on, and a pickup truck had to hit the roadway in order to avoid getting in the accident,” Madison County Fire Chief Eric Turner said.

As a news team left WBBJ, they saw an emergency helicopter taking off from Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

“We did have Air Evac on the way, but we were able to cancel that. The person was carried by ground,” Turned said.

Chief Turner says he thinks the woman behind the wheel should be OK.

The highway was stopped for almost an hour as crews cleaned up the scene.

“We heard a loud crash, and we knew pretty much what had happened,” Ratcliff said. She lives steps away from the accident.

Ratcliff says there’s no mistaking the noise she heard.

“It was bad. It was bad. When I called 911, I thought it was more than one car because her car was so crumpled in the front end and her car had spun around into traffic,” Ratcliff said.

Ratcliff says there were concerns of the car before the accident.

“We heard our rabies control guy was following her for several miles and noticed she kept swerving and falling asleep, and he tried to get the Tennessee Highway Patrol and her to stop,” Ratcliff said.

She says this only increases her concerns for the dangerous road.

“This road is known for several car accidents since we have lived here, and I’ve been here for about five years,” Ratcliff said.