Charles Cox Killed in an Accident with a Parked Semi-truck on Interstate 40 in Sevier County, Tennessee

SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. – A Knoxville man was killed Tuesday morning after his vehicle collided with a parked tractor-trailer on Interstate 40 eastbound at Exit 407 to Sevierville.

Sevierville Police Department officers responded to the crash and found a Toyota Tacoma and a tractor-trailer hauling rock on the right shoulder. According to the preliminary investigation, the tractor-trailer driver had pulled onto the shoulder to rest when the Tacoma veered off the roadway and struck the rear of the parked truck.

The driver of the Tacoma, identified as 28-year-old Charles A. Cox of Knoxville, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Commercial drivers cannot use the side of the road as a parking lot

The highway shoulder is not a rest stop and should never be used as one. Federal and state rules strictly govern when and where commercial truck drivers can park on roadsides. These rules exist because a parked semi-truck creates a danger to other motorists.

We recently took on a tragic case involving the wrongful death of a public servant in a devastating crash on the Tomball Parkway. The deputy lost his life when his patrol vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer that was recklessly parked on the inside shoulder of the highway.

This accident was entirely preventable. The truck driver chose to stop in a dangerous location for non-emergency reasons, creating a deadly hazard. The trucking company failed to train and supervise its drivers properly, allowing unsafe practices that put lives at risk. Now, they are trying to avoid responsibility.

We are fighting to hold both the driver and the trucking company accountable for their negligence and to seek justice for the fallen deputy and his grieving family. No one should lose their life due to negligent decision-making by commercial drivers.

By investigating beyond the surface-level facts, we uncovered corporate negligence that contributed to this tragic loss of life. The family received not just compensation but answers about what really happened to their loved one.

These cases remind us that fault isn’t always apparent at first glance. When truck drivers park on the side of the road, they put everyone’s safety at risk. They cannot deflect responsibility to others when their actions – or their company’s negligence – create a dangerous situation in the first place.

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 The Ammons Law Firm represents clients nationwide in auto and truck accidents that result in serious injury or death.

Disclaimer: This post is not legal advice. Information contained in this blog was compiled from third-party sources or is the opinion of the author. Please inform us immediately if false or misleading information is contained in this post.