On August 12, 2025, at 12:59 PM, a multi-vehicle collision occurred on I-40 West at mile marker 351.4 in Roane County, Tennessee. The incident began when a 2003 Kenworth tractor-trailer, driven by 63-year-old Sat Pal from New Jersey, rear-ended a 2024 GMC Terrain operated by 40-year-old James L. Wheeler from Virginia, who was accompanied by his 37-year-old passenger, Kristina Wheeler, also from Virginia.

This initial impact caused the GMC Terrain to sideswipe a 2025 Ford F-450 driven by 64-year-old James F. Cunningham III from Tennessee. The chain reaction continued as the Ford F-450 struck a 2022 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by 57-year-old Payton R. Lanier from North Carolina. Additionally, a 2025 Freightliner tractor-trailer, driven by 45-year-old Ramaz Nozadze from New Jersey, collided with the trailer of the Ford F-450.

A 2025 International tractor-trailer, driven by 52-year-old Bryan D. Robertson from Tennessee, managed to stop but was rear-ended by a 2016 Ram 3500 driven by 41-year-old Donavan L. Fields from Tennessee. The initial Kenworth tractor-trailer also struck the trailer of a 2018 Freightliner tractor-trailer driven by 58-year-old Timothy S. Tooley before coming to a stop.

All drivers and passengers were wearing seatbelts, and no injuries were reported. Sat Pal faces a “lack of due care” charge, pending investigation, while no other charges were noted. Traffic had come to a standstill prior to the collisions, contributing to the sequence of events.

The crash involved eight vehicles and nine individuals.