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Kingsport Police Department
Dale Phipps, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 http://KingsportTN.gov/City-Services/Police-Department• www.KingsportPDBlog.com |
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| NEWS RELEASE | ||||
| SUBJECT: | Kingsport Police Investigating Fatal Interstate 81 Crash | |||
| DATE: | December 15, 2022 | |||
| CASE #: | 22-024807 | |||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | ||||
| On December 15, 2022 at approximately 7:30 AM, the Kingsport Police Department Traffic Unit responded to a motor vehicle collision on northbound Interstate 81 at mile-marker 59 in Kingsport. The subsequent investigation revealed the following:
A previous crash just north of this location was already under investigation and had obstructed the normal flow of traffic. A white 2022 Freightliner Cascadia and a silver 2020 Honda Pilot Sport Utility Vehicle had slowed or stopped, in the right and left lanes respectively, due to traffic congestion ahead. A red 2016 Hyundai Accent 4 door sedan was slowing in the right lane behind the Freightliner, when it was struck in the rear by a white 2017 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup pulling a utility trailer. After the initial impact, the red Hyundai slid sideways into the rear of the Freightliner and the Honda. A white 2022 Hyundai Elantra 4 door sedan was traveling behind the Dodge pickup. The driver attempted to change lanes from right to left in order to avoid the crash. Unable to stop in time, the white Hyundai crashed into the driver’s side of the Dodge pickup. The driver of the Dodge pickup, Gary John Hochstein, III of Mount Hope, West Virginia, was killed in the crash. Three other motorists involved in the crash sustained suspected minor injuries. Six other motorists involved in the crash were uninjured. Northbound Interstate 81 remained either completely or partially closed for several hours; however, the scene has since been cleared and normal traffic patterns have resumed. This crash remains under open and active investigation by the K.P.D. Traffic Unit. As such, no further details are available for release at this time. |
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| COLLISION VEHICLE #1 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Freightliner | |
| Model | Cascadia | |
| Year | 2022 | |
| Type | Tractor Trailer | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Functional Damage/Driven Away | |
| Driver | Name | Ramiro Anthony Davila |
| Age | 54 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Ocala, Florida | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Jordan Michael McKenzie |
| Age | 30 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Black | |
| Residency | Okeechobee, Florida | |
| Injuries | No injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE #2 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Honda | |
| Model | Pilot | |
| Year | 2020 | |
| Type | Sport Utility Vehicle | |
| Color | Silver | |
| Damage | Functional Damage/Driven Away | |
| Driver | Name | Frank D. Crawford |
| Age | 56 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Kingsport, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Not Released Due to Minor Age |
| Age | 16 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Kingsport, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Not Released Due to Minor Age |
| Age | 15 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Female/White | |
| Residency | Kingsport, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Passenger | Name | Not Released Due to Minor Age |
| Age | 16 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Kingsport, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE #3 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Hyundai | |
| Model | Accent | |
| Year | 2016 | |
| Type | 4 Door Sedan | |
| Color | Red | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage/Towed Away | |
| Driver | Name | Billy J. Williams |
| Age | 35 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Limestone, TN | |
| Injuries | Suspected Minor Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE #4 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Dodge | |
| Model | Ram 3500 | |
| Year | 2017 | |
| Type | Pickup | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage/Towed Away | |
| Driver | Name | Gary John Hochstein, III |
| Age | 35 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Mount Hope, WV | |
| Injuries | Fatal | |
| Passenger | Name | Quinton Steptoe |
| Age | 36 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/Black | |
| Residency | Bluefield, WV | |
| Injuries | Suspected Minor Injury | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE #5 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Hyundai | |
| Model | Elantra | |
| Year | 2022 | |
| Type | 4 Door Sedan | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Disabling Damage/Towed Away | |
| Driver | Name | Destiny T. Lunsford |
| Age | 23 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Female/White | |
| Residency | Jonesborough, TN | |
| Injuries | Suspected Minor Injury | |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-343-9749 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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