Florida trucker indicted in severe injury crash by Knox County grand jury

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - A Knox County grand jury has indicted a Florida truck driver in a crash that severely injured a Tennessee state trooper.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and failure to drive within a single lane were returned against Eric D. Lewis.

Police said the 33-year-old Lewis fell asleep while driving a tractor-trailer truck on Interstate 40/75 in western Knox County on March 14, 2012. The truck slammed into a Tennessee Highway Patrol cruiser in which Sgt. Lowell Russell was filling out paperwork. The car was parked on the shoulder and the emergency lights were operating.

A passing ambulance crew and Lewis pulled Lowell from the burning car.

Lewis was driving for FHS Trucking in Orlando, Fla.

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