THP works three crashes in 2 days in White County

 At approximately 10:56 a.m., on July 25, 2024, Trooper Kevin Ballew, of Tennessee Highway Patrol, was called to the scene of a crash with injuries, at the intersection of Highway 111 and Taft Church Road.

According to the report, a 1999 Freightliner CON, driven by 53-year-old Douglas W. McFarland, of Kentucky, was traveling southbound on Highway 111.

A 2014 Dodge Caravan, driven by April D. Alexander, 47, of Tennessee, was leaving a parked position and entering the traffic-way of Highway 111 facing east.

According to the report, McFarland failed to yield the right-of-way to the Dodge Caravan and hit the vehicle in the driver’s side center and front end. McFarland also reportedly disobeyed a traffic control device (red light) causing the crash. Alexander had a green light and proceeded to go through the light.

McFarland’s 1999 Freightliner CON came to a final rest in the roadway of Highway 111 and partially in a grassy median. Alexander’s Dodge Caravan came to a final rest on the right shoulder of the southbound lanes of Highway 111.

According to the report, McFarland was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. He was charged with failure to yield and traffic control device.

Alexander was injured and was not wearing a seatbelt. A 59-year-old passenger in the vehicle was also injured.

Another crash on July 25 occurred on Old Kentucky Road, 844 feet south of Lowery Road.

At approximately 2:10 p.m., a 1998 Chevy dump truck driven by 26-year-old Brandon R. Howard, of Tennessee, was traveling south on State Road 136 when it overturned.

According to the THP report, Howard was negotiating a curve to the right. He failed to maintain the travel lane and ran off the roadway on the right side of the road.

Howard overcorrected, traveled across the roadway, and then ran off the roadway on the left side. The dump truck struck the ditch on the left side of the roadway before striking a tree. The vehicle then overturned in the roadway, with the dump bed extending and striking a barbed wire fence where it came to rest, blocking both lanes of travel.

The dump truck came to a final rest just south of the area of the first impact and in the roadway. According to the report, Howard stated he was negotiating the curve, and an oncoming vehicle in the opposite lane had crossed over into his lane of travel, causing him to have to move over to avoid striking the vehicle, which caused him to run out of the roadway.

According to the report, Howard was injured. A charge of “CDL required” was listed.

A third crash within two days occurred July 27, 2024, on Plum Creek Road, 4,688 feet west of Monterey Highway.

At approximately 9:20 a.m., Ashlee B. Roberts, 41, of Tennessee, was traveling eastbound on Plum Creek Road, around the 1190 block, in a 2021 Toyota SNA.

According to the report, Roberts left the roadway to the left side and struck a tree where the vehicle came to a final rest, with a tree falling on top of the vehicle. The entire front end of the vehicle was damaged.

Roberts was injured in the crash.