DICKSON COUNTY, TN — A wrong-way driver crashed head-on into a Tennessee state trooper on Interstate 40 in Dickson County, just outside Nashville, in a collision captured on dash cam video. Tennessee Highway Patrol says Sgt. Goddard was driving on the interstate when the other vehicle came at him from the wrong direction.
Both the trooper and the elderly driver were hurt, but authorities say each is expected to make a full recovery. The highway patrol shared the video on social media last week, bringing public attention to a crash that could easily have been far worse.
Dash cam video shows the moments before impact
The video released by Tennessee Highway Patrol shows Sgt. Goddard making a slight move in an apparent attempt to avoid the oncoming vehicle. The maneuver happened only moments before the impact, leaving little room to escape the collision.
Wrong-way crashes are among the most dangerous roadway incidents because drivers have almost no time to react. In this case, the patrol’s footage shows how quickly a routine drive on the interstate turned into a head-on crash.
The agency did not provide additional details about how fast the vehicles were traveling or exactly why the driver was headed the wrong way.
Troopers identify the driver as an elderly man
According to the highway patrol’s post, the other driver was an elderly man traveling in the opposite direction of traffic. He collided directly with Sgt. Goddard’s vehicle on the interstate.
The patrol did not release the man’s name or say where he entered the highway. It also did not say whether any passengers were involved or whether other vehicles were affected by the crash.
Even with those unanswered questions, officials said both people involved survived and were expected to recover fully.
Interstate 40 crash happened in Dickson County outside Nashville
The collision happened on Interstate 40 in Dickson County, a stretch of highway west of Nashville that carries heavy commuter and long-distance traffic. The location matters because an unexpected wrong-way driver on a major interstate can put many motorists at risk in a very short time.
Tennessee Highway Patrol’s account places Sgt. Goddard in normal travel on the roadway when the opposite-direction vehicle reached him. The head-on impact left both drivers injured and prompted the agency to highlight the encounter publicly.
The crash serves as another reminder of how quickly a highway emergency can unfold, even when a trained trooper is behind the wheel.
Both people injured are expected to recover
Officials said the trooper and the other driver were both injured in the collision. While the crash was severe enough to be recorded and shared, the patrol said each is expected to make a full recovery.
No further medical details were released. Tennessee Highway Patrol did not say where either person was treated or how long recovery might take.
The agency’s update focused on the video and the close call, underscoring that the outcome could have been much more serious given the speed and force of a head-on crash.
Tennessee Highway Patrol uses the video as a warning
By sharing the dash cam footage, Tennessee Highway Patrol gave the public a clear look at the danger posed by wrong-way driving. The video shows that even a brief chance to steer away may not be enough when an oncoming car is already committed to the collision path.
For motorists on high-speed roads, the incident reinforces the need to stay alert for unexpected hazards. For law enforcement, it also demonstrates how quickly a routine patrol can turn into an emergency response.
The patrol’s post drew attention because it showed both the violence of the crash and the fortunate result that neither person’s injuries were reported as life-threatening.