A deadly rollover crash shut down I-40 West in Memphis on Friday, leaving one man dead and traffic locked up across parts of North Memphis as investigators flooded the scene.
All westbound lanes near Covington Pike were closed while emergency crews and crash investigators worked the site. According to Action News 5, the Memphis Police Department said the wreck was reported to the Tennessee Department of Transportation at 12:15 p.m. Police stated that a single vehicle overturned and that one man was killed, with no other victims reported. Drivers were urged to steer clear and find alternate routes as the shutdown stretched on.
Another Serious Collision on a Troubled I-40 Stretch
Friday's crash is the latest in a series of serious wrecks on I-40 through Memphis. On June 16, a nighttime collision on the interstate killed two people and left four others critically injured, a grim scene detailed in coverage of the midnight horror on I-40 as investigators worked to piece together what happened.
Motorists on Friday were warned to expect detours and heavy delays. Officials recommended checking the Tennessee Department of Transportation's SmartWay map and local traffic reports for up-to-the-minute conditions. TDOT's SmartWay offers live incident maps and lane-status updates for drivers trying to navigate around major closures.
The Memphis Police Department's crash-investigation unit remained on scene as crews processed evidence and cleared the wreckage. The victim's identity had not been released as of the station's report, and Action News 5 reported that police would provide further updates when available.
