March 7, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
A child not yet two years old was airlifted after a crash Thursday on Highway 70 near DeKalb Market.
According to Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 41-year-old Amanda Maples of Walling and her young child were traveling west in a 2016 Jeep Wrangler when the driver of another vehicle in front of them stopped to remove some debris in the roadway. Because of that, Maples slowed but a 2008 Kenworth commercial truck behind her did not stop in time and rear-ended the Jeep forcing the Wrangler to overturn. The truck, belonging to 5 Star Disposal, was driven by 45-year-old Christopher Finch of Shelbyville who was hauling a dumpster.
Maples and her child were taken by private vehicle to the hospital. The child was later airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital. Maples was apparently not seriously hurt, and Finch sustained no injuries. Finch was cited for failure to exercise due care and for expired tags. Both Maples and the child were believed to have been properly restrained in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Trooper Delong was assisted in the crash investigation by Lieutenant Eric McCormick of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.