Authorities in Sullivan County, Tennessee, have charged 21-year-old Jacob Dylan Chambers with multiple offenses, including vehicular homicide and DUI, following a tragic crash early Monday morning that claimed the life of 21-year-old Fatima Guadalupe Valenzuela-Flores.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) reported the collision occurred shortly before 4 a.m. along Highway 421 near Shady Ford Road. Preliminary investigations indicate that the vehicle, a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, veered off the right side of the highway and entered a ditch. Valenzuela-Flores, a passenger, was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and landed in the ditch. Despite the rapid response of emergency personnel, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed her injuries were consistent with being thrown from the car during the collision.
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According to THP, Chambers initially left the scene but later returned past the crash site before stopping at a nearby boat ramp parking area, where he was taken into custody. Along with vehicular homicide and DUI, Chambers faces charges of driving on a suspended license and reckless endangerment. A second passenger in the Equinox was unharmed.
Investigators continue to examine the factors that contributed to the crash, including Chambers’s alleged intoxication and the passenger’s actions. Toxicology testing is underway to determine Chambers’s blood alcohol level at the time of the incident.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol emphasized the dangers of impaired and reckless driving. “Every fatal crash we investigate is a reminder that one poor choice can destroy multiple lives,” a THP spokesperson said. Authorities urged the public to drive responsibly and to contact the THP with any additional information about the incident.
Valenzuela-Flores’s death has left family and friends devastated. Loved ones remembered her as a kind, energetic young woman with a promising future. The community continues to mourn her loss while awaiting further developments in the ongoing investigation.
Fatima Guadalupe Valenzuela-Flores will be remembered for her warmth, energy, and the bright spirit she brought to those around her.