Wreck slows traffic on I-75 north Christmas morning

East Ridge emergency personnel were called about 9:30 this morning to Interstate 75 northbound in reference to a crash with entrapment.

A Ford pickup was entering the interstate when the driver lost control, according to Officer Erik Hopkis. The truck collided with the center wall before a box truck also traveling north on I-75 became entangled with the Ford truck. The two vehicles came to a rest under the Ringgold Road overpass.

The Ford pickup was so badly mangled that firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate the driver, Hopkins said. It required more than 20 minutes of heavy work before firefighters were able to free the trapped driver.

The driver was removed from the truck with nonlife-threatening injuries, Hopkins said. The driver and a passenger of the box truck along with the driver of the Ford pickup were transported to Erlanger hospital by Memorial EMS.

Catoosa County sheriff's deputies assisted East Ridge Police by closing two outside lanes of travel on Interstate 75 at the state line while first responders treated the injured and investigated the crash, Hopkins said.

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