September 17, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
A McMinnville man was injured after he ran a red light in his Jeep Patriot and plowed into the side of a semi-truck Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of Congress Boulevard and Broad Street.
According to Trooper Troy Withers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 52 year old Benito R. Garcia, traveling south on Highway 56 in his 2011 Jeep Patriot, proceeded through the red traffic light and struck in the driver’s side a 2017 Cascadia Freightliner driven by 58 year old Victor D. Kingsley of Lavergne who was east on Highway 70 and crossing through the intersection. After impact, the semi came to a stop in the turning lane of Highway 70 while the Jeep Patriot came to rest facing south in the middle of the intersection. Garcia was transported by DeKalb EMS to St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Kingsley was not hurt. Both men were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash.
Garcia was charged with failure to obey a traffic control signal.
Members of the Smithville Police and Fire Departments were on the scene to provide assistance.