Tennessee was struck with horror after a Gatlinburg accident occurred on the busy East Tennessee highway. Officials confirmed that the crash took place on the highway over the weekend. The crash involved multiple cars, injuring several people on the busy road. Additionally, investigators are working together to determine the cause of the tragic crash that left several people injured.
Gatlinburg Accident Leaves Several Injured
According to Gatlinburg’s Mayor, Mike Werner, the crash occurred about 4:15 p.m. local time on Sunday. According to Werner, the collision occurred in the 700 block of the Parkway. The site is situated in a bustling downtown area of Sevier County and is also a popular tourist destination.
The Gatlinburg Police Department reported that approximately six people were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Special Agent Jason Pack said a minivan traveling southbound “accelerated unexpectedly,” hitting and injuring a pedestrian. Filled with stops and restaurants, the highway is an actively busy tourist area, where many spend time during the summer months.
In a preliminary investigation, Warner said that the driver who caused the Gatlinburg accident had “a medical episode.” Pack said that the minivan suddenly accelerated unexpectedly. This isn’t the first time Gatlinburg has experienced an accident; it has also seen other high-traffic incidents. The accidents have occurred especially during peak tourist seasons, when heavy traffic on the Parkway can slow travel.
About 12 million visitors come to the city each year, making it one of the active gateways to any national park in the country. Bystanders took videos of heavily damaged vehicles and scattered car parts, along with first responders coming to the scene. They also posted the videos on social media. Three people were flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, according to City officials, and three others were taken by ambulance.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Gatlinburg Police Department are working together to investigate the incident. The crash has had the community concerned. Anoop Harjani, who is a gift shop owner, said, “All the cars just mangled up and everything, trying to help the police officers get through all the traffic. Just people hurt, injured. People were just wanting to help as best as they could.” Daniel Miller and his wife, two New Jersey residents visiting the high tourist spot, described their version of events.
Daniel said, “We were at our resort and we looked out over the helipad and we saw a couple of ambulances coming up after we heard the sirens, and they were up there transferring patients from the ambulances into the helicopter.” It is still unknown regarding the status of the injured victims in the accident. At least seven people were injured in the Gatlinburg accident.
Final Thoughts on the Gatlinburg Accident
Two of the injured people in the accident were pedestrians. Gatlinburg is situated in the mountains of East Tennessee, located between Pigeon Forge, home of Dollywood, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most highly visited park in the country. No deaths have yet been confirmed from the Gatlinburg accident, stressing that the investigation is ongoing. In other news, President Donald Trump recently spoke about P. Diddy and whether he would pardon him. Also, Trump spread a conspiracy theory that Joe Biden was “executed” in 2020 and was replaced by a clone.
