A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 resulted in two deaths and put three people in the hospital in critical condition, according to East Ridge Police Chief Clint Uselton.
Uselton said Joseph Antoinier, 65, was arrested in connection to the crash. The man has been charged with two counts of reckless homicide, seven counts of felony reckless endangerment and three counts of reckless aggravated assault, according to Hamilton County booking reports. The booking records show the man’s name as Joseph Antoinier, although the chief said Joseph is the last name.
The crash just before 5:30 p.m. on Sunday involved six cars and a tractor-trailer and caused northbound lanes on I-75 to be closed for several hours, according to a release from the East Ridge Police Department.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted East Ridge police at the scene. The East Ridge Police Department led the investigation and was the arresting agency listed in the booking report.
In addition to the two fatalities and three people in critical condition, two others involved in the crash were transported to the hospital and have since been released, Uselton said.
According to the initial release by the East Ridge Police Department, two vehicles were actively on fire when emergency personnel arrived on scene. Multiple people had to be extracted from the vehicles.
Contacted by cell phone, Uselton said details on what happened are limited.
“We’re still gathering evidence,” Uselton said in a follow-up interview.
The investigation at the scene is complete, he said.
“We’re still looking at the tractor-trailer and all that,” he said.
Note: This story was updated Aug. 7, 2025, to correct Joseph Antoinier’s name.
Contact Kailee Shores at kshores@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659.
