A late-night head-on collision on New Highway 7 in Maury County left both drivers in critical condition Tuesday, after firefighters cut one heavily trapped motorist from the wreckage and air ambulances rushed both patients to trauma centers. The crash happened at about 9:07 p.m., and crews used hydraulic rescue tools to remove doors and roll the dashboard away from one victim. Multiple county fire and rescue units, deputies, and EMS teams converged on the scene and set up a landing zone for two medical helicopters. Authorities say the Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Rescue Crews Free Heavily Trapped Driver
Rescue members used hydraulic rescue tools to take off two doors and roll the dash to reach a heavily trapped driver, according to the Maury County Fire Department. The department listed responding units as engines 21 and 31, rescue 21, and brush 32, and said deputies and Maury Regional EMS worked alongside firefighters at the crash site. Crews also set up a landing zone for a Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter and an Air Evac Lifeteam aircraft. Both drivers were flown in critical condition to trauma centers, the department reported.
Air Ambulances and Rural Crash Location
New Highway 7 is commonly labeled Santa Fe Pike on county maps, placing the collision on a rural stretch west of Columbia, according to Maury County. Vanderbilt LifeFlight operates bases across Middle Tennessee and regularly handles time-sensitive transports to trauma centers, per Vanderbilt LifeFlight.
Investigation Ongoing
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating what led up to the head-on collision, according to the Maury County Fire Department, and officials have not released additional details. Guidance on how to obtain crash reports once investigations are complete is available online through the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security.
