Man seriously injured in box truck crash on I-75

A Lenoir City man had to be flown by helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center following a traffic accident Friday afternoon on I-75 in Whitley County.

The accident happened shortly after 3 p.m. on I-75 near the 17-mile marker.

James Clifton, 64, was driving a 2002 Ford box truck south on I-75 when it went out of control on the rain soaked roadway and slid into the path of a southbound tractor trailer, according to a Kentucky State Police press release.

Stephen Engelhard, 43, of Oxford, Ohio, who was driving the gray 2007 Peterbilt semi, was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash and wasn’t injured, the release stated.

Whitley EMS transported Clifton from the scene to Baptist Regional Medical Center in Corbin, and he was later flown to Knoxville for treatment of his injuries, according to the release.

It is unknown whether Clifton was wearing a seatbelt, police said.

No alcohol or drug involvement is suspected.

KSP Division of Commercial Enforcement Officer Charles Garland is continuing the investigation.