Tennessee troopers are working to piece together what happened in a deadly early-morning crash Thursday, June 4, on State Route 129, the notoriously twisty stretch riders know as the Tail of the Dragon. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says the wreck is still under active investigation, and officials are keeping details tight while crews remain on scene.
Crash Under Investigation
According to WVLT, THP confirmed the crash happened early Thursday, but has not released many specifics as troopers continue their work. WVLT notes that the agency often puts out preliminary crash summaries with basic details soon after serious collisions, yet as of publication authorities had not identified any victims or publicly discussed a cause.
Not The First Fatal Wreck On The Dragon
The deadly stretch has already seen tragedy in recent weeks. On May 20, THP’s preliminary report said two people from Florida were killed when a Harley-Davidson trike left US-129 near mile marker 5, according to WIVK-FM. That report identified the driver as 59-year-old Eduardo Falcone and the passenger as 55-year-old Mariano Maldondo. Troopers noted both were wearing helmets and that no other vehicles were involved.
Why Authorities Are On Alert
The 11-mile section of US-129 that includes Deals Gap is a magnet for sport-bike and sports-car fans, thanks to its 318 curves packed into a relatively short distance. That combination of geography and heavy recreational traffic heightens the risk of serious crashes. Tennessee’s highway-safety office has teamed up with North Carolina for joint "Border to Border" enforcement and awareness pushes, including extra patrols around busy holiday weekends, in an effort to cut down on wrecks along the Dragon, according to the Tennessee Traffic Safety Resource Service.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol typically releases more detailed preliminary crash reports as investigations move forward. This story will be updated when troopers or other public officials release additional information. This is a developing story.
