All westbound lanes of I-24 had reopened shortly before 4:45 p.m. Thursday, WKRN reported. Earlier, the westbound right lane and shoulder near mile marker 13.8 were blocked because of police activity. WKRN also reported that westbound traffic had backed up from about mile marker 15 past Exit 19 while the search was underway, citing Clarksville Now for the backup information.
At 3:40 p.m. Thursday, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office deputies were helping the Tennessee Highway Patrol search for the driver, according to the sheriff’s office and WKRN.
The vehicle crashed near mile marker 14, and the driver left on foot into a wooded area, Clarksville Now reported. The outlet described the driver as a Black male with dreadlocks. The driver’s identity was unknown.
Residents and motorists were asked to stay alert and use caution during the search. Anyone with information about the driver’s whereabouts or who noticed suspicious activity was asked to call 911, WSMV reported.
County crash rankings
Tennessee’s 2021–2025 county crash rankings place Montgomery County 18th in overall crash rate, according to the state’s TITAN Business Unit. The ranking is countywide, not specific to I-24, and does not give a count of crashes on the highway in the most recent year with official data.
