SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – A fatal crash on Saturday afternoon in Bedford County resulted in the deaths of both drivers involved. The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) reported that the head-on collision occurred around 1:15 p.m. on State Route 437, near Philippi Road.
According to the THP report, 24-year-old Marcus Johnston was driving a Western Star dump truck south on SR-437 when he crossed the center line and collided with a northbound Kenworth T80 dump truck, driven by 46-year-old Dante Jose Guel. Guel’s truck, which was carrying a full load of gravel, was flipped onto its side and caught fire, while Johnston’s truck slid off the left side of the road, overturned into a ditch, and also ignited.
Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The highway was shut down for several hours as investigators worked to determine the cause of the collision and crews cleared debris from the roadway. The closure, which affected SR-437 from Philippi Road to Railroad Avenue, also included the removal of the gravel from the crash site.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
