Details released in I-24 semi-truck collision

Photo from the Christian County Sheriff's Office

The Christian County Sheriff’s Department has released further details on a crash on I-24 Thursday that flipped two trucks and sent a man to a Nashville hospital.

According to the collision report, it happened near the 72-mile-marker in the eastbound lanes at just about 3:15 p.m. A tow truck driven by 37-year-old Alvaro Valle of Miami was hauling a box truck that was broken down, which was being monitored by 20-year-old Justin Lopez of Georgia who was behind the wheel of the truck being towed.

That’s when the box truck was struck from behind by a semi-truck driven by 39-year-old Omar Al Hamzah of Knoxville. The impact forced the box truck into the tow truck, and sent all three vehicles into the cable barriers, causing the box truck and semi to overturn.

Al Hamzah was flown by helicopter to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville for treatment of severe injuries. Lopez sustained some minor cuts to his legs but declined transport at the scene.

Al Hamzah was reportedly able to tell deputies that he had been in ‘cruise’ when he realized how slow the truck ahead of him was moving, but was unable to avoid a collision due to vehicles being in the lane of travel next to him.

Everyone involved was wearing a seatbelt.