I-75 North closed in Loudon County after crash involving pedestrian, semi-truck

LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — Northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Loudon County has reopened after a crash involving a semi-truck and a pedestrian along the interstate, the sheriff's office said. Just before 2:45 p.m., the sheriff's office said first responders with LCSO, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Loudon County Fire Rescue, Priority Ambulance Service, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation were on the scene of a "semi truck versus pedestrian crash" that shut down the northside of the interstate at mile marker 82.5. At 4:22 p.m., the TDOT Smartway cameras were showing some traffic being allowed through on the northbound side of the interstate. At the same time, the map also showed northbound traffic was heavily impacted all the way back to Highway 72. Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesperson Mark Nagi said at that time that all lanes had reopened, but traffic would be "backing up for a bit." One person was taken from the scene of the crash to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Traffic is being diverted off the interstate at Exit 81 northbound, and the northbound entrance ramp at the Lenoir City exit is closed. LCSO said traffic is highly congested in the area, and it is not known how long the closure will be in place. "Please drive with extreme caution and be patient as first responders work the scene. Consider using alternate routes if possible and expect significant delays," the sheriff's office said. Nagi first reported the closure around 2:15 p.m. Around 3:34 p.m., Nagi shared that all of the stuck traffic related to the crash on the northbound side of the road had been cleared, however, northbound traffic was still diverted at Exit 81. Nagi also said around 2:15 p.m. that southbound traffic was also impacted by a tractor-trailer crash, with the left lane of I-75 South closed at mile marker 81. Shortly after 3 p.m., he said all southbound traffic had been cleared.