JASPER, Tenn. — A single-vehicle wreck on Interstate 24 East claimed the life of Kali Crushell Harris Wednesday night, leaving the Marion County community in shock and grief.
The crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. near the 159-mile marker, just east of the Nickajack Lake overlook. Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers say Harris was the sole occupant of the vehicle when it left the roadway, struck a guardrail, and overturned.
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Emergency crews from THP, Marion County Fire & Rescue, and Jasper Police responded, but Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. The eastbound lanes of I-24 were shut down for nearly four hours while troopers reconstructed the crash and cleared the wreckage.
Lieutenant Cecil Harvey of the THP Chattanooga District confirmed Thursday morning that the investigation is ongoing. Speed and road conditions are among the factors being examined, though no official cause has been released.
“Kali was the kind of person who made everyone feel seen and loved,” said lifelong friend Ashley Green. “She had this laugh that filled a room and a heart even bigger. This doesn’t feel real.”
Dozens of friends and family gathered at a roadside memorial of flowers and candles near the crash site Thursday, hugging and crying as passing truckers slowed in respect.
A GoFundMe launched by Harris’s family to help with funeral expenses and support her young daughter surpassed $15,000 within hours of going live.
“Kali lived for her little girl,” the family wrote. “We’re holding her tight and promising to keep Kali’s love alive every single day.”
Funeral arrangements are pending. The Tennessee Highway Patrol asks anyone who witnessed the crash to call the Chattanooga District office at 423-954-3510.