KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — State investigators have released new details regarding a violent, head-on collision that left two people dead and another seriously injured on Friday.
According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the fatal crash was initiated by 30-year-old Devin King, who was actively attempting to flee from law enforcement officers. While attempting to escape, King swerved his vehicle directly into the southbound lanes of Maynardville Highway (also known as Maynardville Pike) near the Knox County line, striking an oncoming vehicle head-on.
Emergency personnel, including crews from Rural Metro Fire and multiple local law enforcement agencies, rushed to the scene.
Authorities confirmed that King was killed in the impact.
The vehicle struck by King was carrying two occupants. The passenger, identified by THP as 24-year-old Theresa Black, was killed in the crash. The driver of that vehicle, a 58-year-old individual, survived the collision but sustained serious injuries and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Following the incident, the Tennessee Highway Patrol closed that portion of Maynardville Highway for several hours to conduct a reconstruction of the crash scene and clear debris, during which time the public was asked to completely avoid the area.
The crash remains under active investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
