Three people were killed, including two young children, in a crash that happened early Monday morning on I-40 East.

At around 3:25 a.m. on Monday, July 1, 2024, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a single-car crash on I-40 East just east of Strawberry Plains Pike.

Based on the investigation conducted at the scene, it is believed that a Honda sedan was traveling east on I-40 when it went off the road to the right for reasons that remain under investigation and came to rest after the rear side of the vehicle crashed into a tree.

Two children, a 3-year-old and a five-month old, were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, an adult man, and the front passenger, an adult woman, were transported to an area hospital with critical injuries. The man has since been pronounced deceased as a result of his injuries, while the woman remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Speed was possibly a factor in the crash, which remains under active investigation by KPD crash reconstruction investigators.

The identities of the deceased is being withheld pending next of kin notification.