A devastating crash in Wilson County has claimed the lives of a mother and her 12-year-old daughter after their SUV was crushed by a concrete truck, authorities confirmed yesterday. The Wilson County Emergency Management Agency reported that the fatal collision occurred around 8:45 a.m. on East Division Street near Lebanon and Mt. Juliet; it was a head-on smash that sent both vehicles careening off the road, with the truck ultimately landing atop the family's vehicle.
The Wilson County Sheriff's Office had previously issued a statement, obtained by WSMV, announcing the closure of the 4000 block of East Division Street, cautioning the public to avoid the area and take alternate routes. The crash site, which stretched west of State Route 109 between Posey Hill and Beckwith roads, became a scene of tragedy and logistical chaos with downed wires and spilled gravel from the concrete truck’s "tumbler" that rolled about 50 yards down the street after it separated from the truck.
According to a report by the Tennessean, the 39-year-old mother and her daughter from Lebanon were declared dead at the scene and were the sole occupants of the SUV. The driver of the concrete truck, meanwhile, was transported to a Nashville medical facility with injuries whose severity remained unknown at the time.
The cleanup and investigation into the crash caused extended disruptions, with Joey Cooper, director of the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency, stating that Nashville Ready Mix was on-scene to manage the gravel spill while the Tennessee Highway Patrol kicked off its investigation into the causes of the crash. Crews from multiple agencies worked in concert to clear the wreckage and restore a semblance of order to East Division Street.
The impact on local traffic was significant, as authorities, including the Wilson County Sheriff's Office, communicated on social media platforms and through local news agencies, such as WKRN, urging motorists to seek alternative routes and avoid East Division Street, which remained closed off for several hours while the thoroughfare was being cleared.
