Crash Hits JD Vance's Motorcade, Tennessee Police Officer in Critical Condition
A Tennessee police officer is in critical condition after two law enforcement vehicles collided Friday night while assisting with Vice President J.D. Vance’s motorcade, according to local officials. The serious crash unfolded in Maryville, roughly 17 miles south of Knoxville, as officers were escorting the vice president during a visit tied to a fundraiser at the Blackberry Farm resort in Walland.
CBS News reported that the collision involved a Tennessee state trooper and a Maryville Police Department motorcycle officer. Both officers were embedded in the security operation supporting the vice president’s movements.
Jason Pack, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Safety, said one of the ambulances assigned to the motorcade immediately broke formation to begin emergency treatment. The City of Maryville later confirmed on social media that the motorcycle officer was rushed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center and remains in critical condition.
Maryville Police Chief Tony Crisp called for prayers as the department awaits further updates on the officer’s condition. “We ask everyone to keep the officer, family and the medical staff in your prayers,” Crisp said.
Initial reports indicated the state trooper had not been transported for treatment, but the city later clarified that both the trooper and the motorcycle officer were taken to the hospital for evaluation. Authorities have not released the trooper’s condition, and neither officer has been publicly identified.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Secret Service officials emphasized that the situation, while serious, did not disrupt the vice president’s schedule. Katherine Pierce, the agency’s resident agent in charge in Knoxville, told reporters the team maintained full operational control throughout the incident. “The safety and movement of our protectees were not impacted by this incident,” Pierce said.
As the investigation continues, the community is rallying around the injured officer and their family — a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face while protecting national leaders.