NEWS

Victims identified in I-40 W wrong-way crash

Joey Garrison
USA Today Network - Tennessee
Crash closes I-40 W at Old Hickory Blvd

The two victims in Saturday morning's wrong-way crash on I-40 near the Old Hickory Boulevard exit in west Davidson County have been identified, according to a Metro police statement.

A three-vehicle collision claimed the lives of Devin C. Strong, 26, of Nashville, and James R. Hall, 34, of Richmond, Kentucky. Strong is believed to have been traveling the wrong way on the interstate, according to the release. Strong also had an address of Memphis, according to the release.

A preliminary investigation shows that Strong was driving a 2009 Nissan Sentra east in the I-40 westbound lanes just after 2 a.m. when he struck a 1988 Chevrolet Z-71 pickup truck driven by Hall head-on.

A westbound Chevrolet Express Van, driven by Christopher Miles, 53, of South Holland, Illinois, then collided with the Nissan.

According to the release, Strong died at the scene. Hall was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Miles was transported to St. Thomas Hospital with minor injuries. He was treated and released.

At this time, it is not known why Strong was traveling the wrong way on I-40 W. There was no evidence of alcohol or drug involvement at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Tennessean archives show four other fatal wrong-way crashes on area interstates in recent years:

•In January 2015, Delois Beasley, of Nashville, was driving her 2002 Cadillac Escalade in the wrong direction — southbound in the northbound lanes near Old Hickory Boulevard in Madison — and collided with a northbound Corvette, killing driver Michael Campbell, 41, of Brownsville, Ky.

•In November 2013, Christie Lynn Martin, 35, was killed when she hit a minivan head-on while driving the wrong way on westbound Interstate 40.

•In July 2013, Rutherford County authorities charged Ruben Prado Pena, 35, of Nashville, for a crash caused when he drove the wrong way on Interstate 24 and slammed into another car, killing one and injuring others.

•In February 2012, Rebecca Benson, 22, of Antioch, caused a fatal crash while driving the wrong way on I-65 near the Wedgewood Avenue exit in Nashville. She was sentenced to a suspended jail sentence after serving one year behind bars. She was required to give three cautionary speeches per year to students for five years.