Driver in weekend crash at Jackson Dragway charged

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — A man accused of driving his car the wrong way down a dragstrip Saturday night is facing multiple charges after crashing into a barrier.

Photo submitted by Maggie-Kasey Garner

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash around 11:30 p.m. Saturday at the Jackson Dragway on Ranger Road.

In a news release, the sheriff’s office says the driver of the vehicle, Jerry Oliver, was lying on the ground beside his vehicle. He was later taken by medical helicopter to Regional One in Memphis, where he was listed in critical condition Sunday morning.

The release says Oliver is believed to have crossed the ditch near the end of the dragstrip, hit another vehicle, and driven onto the dragstrip.

The release says Oliver hit the concrete barrier which houses the “starting tree” at a high rate of speed, where the vehicles and their crews were getting ready to start the next race.

Oliver is charged with DUI, eight counts of aggravated assault, and violation of the open container law.

Scott Wood, the manager at Jackson Dragway, says the estimated cost of damage is around $3,800.