Tragedy struck last Saturday morning on I-24 in Rutherford County, where a wrong-way collision resulted in two fatalities and injuries. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that around 4:42 a.m., 43-year-old Juan Jesus De Leon Palala was driving a 2015 Kia Soul eastbound in the westbound lanes, subsequently colliding with multiple vehicles. Both Palala and Nicholas Barycz, the 34-year-old driver of a 2014 Ford Explorer, were pronounced dead following the accident, as reported by WKRN.
Amid the chaos, a 2013 Honda CRV was also struck, injuring 33-year-old Taylor Hart of Florida. Fortunately, two additional passengers in Hart’s vehicle, including an the 5-year-old girl, were unharmed. Details regarding Hart's injuries have not been disclosed, but the severity of the crash prompted the closure of the westbound lanes for investigation and cleanup, as noted by a FOX17 report.
In light of the incident, traffic along the interstate was diverted at Exit 70, known as Almaville Road, and normal traffic flow resumed later in the morning around 9:15 a.m., according to WSMV. The Tennessee Department of Transportation also confirmed that the road was temporarily closed to facilitate the landing of LifeFlight.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol stated that everyone involved in the crash was wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. No charges are pending in connection with this incident, and the ongoing investigation aims to shed light on the circumstances that led to this unfortunate event.
