Campbell County truck driver killed in Knoxville I-40 wrong-way wreck, chemical fire

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WATE 6 On Your Side Staff – KNOXVILLE (WATE) – Two people died in a car crash on Interstate 40 eastbound early Wednesday morning.

Knoxville police say the driver of the tractor-trailer, Carroll Trent, 67, of Evington, Virginia; and the driver of the SUV, Anthony Swartz, 21, of Maryville, were both killed.

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Knoxville Police Department received a call around 1:04 a.m. of an SUV that had entered the westbound lanes of the interstate going the wrong way from James White Parkway. Seconds later, another 911 caller said two vehicles had collided near I-275.

Officers found the SUV had collided head-on with a tractor-trailer. The violent collision caused the tractor-trailer to burst into flames. The truck was carrying several hundred pounds of Benzoquinone, a hazardous chemical used for paints and dyeing.

To avoid soil and water contamination, the chemical was allowed to burn. All lanes of I-40 were closed until later in the morning to allow time to investigate and clean up.  The crash remains under investigation.

Candyce Arnwine of Knoxville says she saw the aftermath of the crash during the middle of the night while she went to pick up her sister from work.

"We saw a lot of smoke. It was really, really thick smoke. I saw a lot of ambulances and fire trucks. We just pulled over. We pulled over and looked over the bridge and the tractor-trailer was on fire," she said.

The sisters were left with many questions. "What would make him get on the interstate the wrong way," asked Arnwine.

She says the crash was so haunting, she pulled over to pray. "Looking at the truck and the flames, something about that truck, I could just feel the pain. Oh my God, it was sad. It was really, really sad," added Arnwine.

It's a sad reminder that life is precious and East Tennesseans shouldn't take anything for granted.

"Pray for those families and hopefully God can fill their hearts with love and forgiveness," said Arnwine.

Crews continue to monitor air for safety. Crews used a water-soluble foam to smother the fire, which a cleanup company will take away.

Swartz worked at Vapor Max in Alcoa. His statewide criminal history includes a March 29 arrest for drug possession and driving under the influence in Alcoa.

"Anthony will be very, very much missed," said William Taluc, Swartz's manager.

Taluc added that Swartz was one of his best employees.

"He was a pretty stable, humble and really nice guy. He was pretty solid."

Estes Trucking Company sent a statement to WATE 6 On Your Side saying,

The Estes family of employees awoke this morning to the heartbreaking news that we had lost one of our own, Carroll Trent, in a tragic accident overnight in Knoxville, TN. The prayers of our 16,000 employees go out to Mr. Trent's family and friends as well as those of the driver of the other vehicle.

Since this is an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to comment on the facts surrounding the accident. However, we are cooperating with the authorities to provide them with the information they need to bring this matter to a close.

Safety is our number one priority, and we do all within our power to ensure everyone arrives safely at their destination each and every day. Mr. Trent's death has left a hole in our hearts. It is, indeed, a sad day at Estes."