Young Father and His Toddler Tragically Lose Their Lives in Multi-Car Crash on I-75

Lane Smith, a Young Father, & His Toddler Son Died in I-75 Pile-up in East Ridge

While raising two young children, the young family has had to deal with the hardness of death, leaving the mother to manage being a single parent.

On Sunday, May 11, a terrible crash on I-75 in East Ridge left a Tennessee family’s weekend in unspeakable sadness. When the Jeep that 23-year-old Lane Smith was operating was involved in a fiery multi-vehicle crash, he died.

In the crash, his wife, Baleigh, and their two small children, Sawyer and Brynlee Smith, suffered serious injuries. The crash happened while the family was returning home from Brynlee’s dance competition in Chattanooga.

East Ridge Police Chief Clint Uselton said that David “Jeff” Huggins, 61, of Dawsonville, Georgia, who was operating a Ford F-150, was also killed in the collision.

A fireball was visible at the scene in Tennessee Department of Transportation dash camera film, but it was too far away to fully depict the crash’s scope.

Sawyer and Baleigh were admitted to the Chattanooga hospital. Unfortunately, Sawyer passed away from injuries he received in the collision just two months before his second birthday.

For specialized care, Brynlee was transported to Nashville in the interim. The road to rehabilitation is lengthy and challenging for Brynlee and Baleigh.

Chief Uselton gave the good Samaritans who intervened in the critical moments following the collision high marks.

As one of them described it, “We arrived at the rear end of the collision. We observed that the car had already taken fire and that there was smoke and flames. When I believe two of them did, the traffic began to slow down.

One of the courageous people who hurried to the ruins to save the victims was Jennifer Collett’s daughter, Larissa. When Larissa discovered she could use her nursing training, she felt obligated to take action.

She was told to stay in the car by Jennifer, who was worried about her safety, but she eventually moved aside as her daughter joined others in demanding water and fire extinguishers.

Later, Jennifer thought about how the people who volunteered at the site put their lives at danger to save others.

“A lot of adrenaline was involved, and things were moving quickly. Men were attempting to move the metal by yanking at the door.

They were being rubbed. Larissa explained, “Anyone else who was free was dousing the flames with water to buy time until we could extinguish them, while they were being burned.”

Even in the midst of the uncertainty and chaos, Larissa felt she had to help whatever she could. She recalled that while some attempted to liberate people stuck in the wreckage, she and others concentrated on consoling victims.

“She was really shaken up, as anyone would be, and so I was kind of holding her up with some other women that were there,” she said.

After helping at the crash scene, Larissa and the other people who had stepped in to aid were clearly rattled when they got back in the car.

Before authorities resumed traffic control, they stayed at the scene for more than an hour, many of them covered in blood. The weight of the recent events settled in throughout the solemn and quiet drive home.

Police have also charged the tractor-trailer driver who was involved in the fatal collision. Among the numerous allegations against Joseph Antoinier, 65, are two counts of reckless homicide.

In addition, he is charged with multiple counts of felony reckless endangerment and reckless aggravated assault related to the incident.

The arrest report states that witnesses saw the semi-truck drive recklessly and swerve between lanes before to the collision.

The vehicle was fast and failed to brake as traffic slowed ahead, causing a devastating chain reaction crash, as surveillance film later revealed.

Joseph was employed by Valparaiso Trucking Corp. at the time of the collision, and according to public records, the company had received citations this year for infractions committed by its drivers.

A representative explained that the driver was not directly employed by Amazon, even though the truck had Amazon branding on it. Instead, a Florida-based business called Valparaiso Trucking Corp. was doing the delivery as part of a contract.

The proprietor of the company made it clear that all of his drivers are independent contractors who drive their own trucks.

Although some of his drivers might have a history of minor offenses, he pointed out that Antoinier had years of driving expertise and was expected to drive properly.

Following the incident, a GoFundMe effort was started to help the Smith family with Lane’s burial costs and growing medical bills.

People are encouraged to donate whatever they can or to provide prayers and support during this tragic time, according to Kayla, who organized the campaign.

The GoFundMe campaign had raised $85,174 of the $100,000 target as of the time of writing. Every donation will be sent straight to Lane’s close relatives.

In addition, condolences have been flooding in since Lane’s untimely death. Melissa Hale Raby, a family friend, is among those in grief after sharing touching videos and pictures of special times spent with the Smiths.

She shared the recollections along with her feelings of sadness and love for Lane, pointing out how much others who knew and loved him miss him.

Another company that has joined the swelling tide of support for the Smith family is the Beauty Bar. As a thoughtful gesture, the salon held a raffle with a gift box filled with things like an Owala, gift cards, and a Polaroid camera.

Through a formal savings account at the Bank of Lincoln County, the Smith family will receive the raffle’s proceeds immediately. The program provides the family with continuous financial and emotional help as they heal.

Watching their daughter dance was a happy moment for the Smith family, but it turned into a life-changing loss. In order to support them during the suffering and uncertainties that lay ahead, a community is now coming together.

Another tragic crash in California killed a father and his three children just one week before the Smith family’s tragic accident in Tennessee.

On the morning of May 4, the tragedy occurred on the 40 Freeway close to Newberry Springs. Around 7:45 a.m., the collision happened on the westbound side of the freeway, west of Hector Road, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Bryce Martinez, 35, of Yermo, was operating a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup vehicle when the victims were involved. He had a girl and two boys with him. Along with his boys, Trent Martinez, 15, and Cole Martinez, 16, they have been identified as Bryce’s 10-year-old daughter, Sailor Martinez.

The three kids all lived in Barstow. At the crash site, the four sadly passed away from their wounds.

For reasons that are still being looked into, officials said the driver permitted the car to drift to the right. Several times, the truck overturned after leaving the paved road and entering the dirt shoulder.

Although intoxicated driving was not thought to be a contributing factor, CHP officials have stated that the cause and circumstances of the crash are still being investigated.

After the unfortunate deaths, CHP Lt. Adam Carmichall said, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss of life and extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected.”

He added, “The California Highway Patrol urges all motorists to travel safely by ensuring your vehicle is in good mechanical condition, always wearing seat belts, carrying food and water in case of delays and never driving while impaired, fatigued, or distracted.”

Tamara Ortiz survives Trent, Cole, Bryce, and Sailor. In a statement posted on Facebook, Tamara, the mother of the three children, expressed her heartbreak over the loss.

Processing the news of my lovely babies’ deaths has taken a long time. Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of the prayers, phone calls, texts, and visits from folks who wanted to see how I was doing. It is extremely important to us.

“This dark period in our lives has been blessed by the abundance of love and support,” she wrote.

If someone wanted to donate, Tamara also gave them a link to a GoFundMe page. The effort was planned by Tamara’s companion since 2015, Michael Garcia, to assist the family in overcoming the tragedy.

As of this writing, $41,131 of the $45,000 target have been raised by the fundraiser. He pointed out that all earnings went straight to Tamara, who had only authorized this account.

Additionally, Michael mentioned that direct donations may be made to Dignity Memorial in Barstow, which has graciously consented to take phone or in-person donations to assist with funeral costs.

The family was not only grieving the loss of the three children but also providing for Tamara and Michael’s other two children, Peyton and Lynsey.

Although Tamara had taken her time accepting assistance from others, Michael revealed that she was extremely grateful for the kindness and support shown to them during this trying time.

People who know the family have also given their condolences in droves. A memorial was posted by Bear Creek Retreat, where the victims were frequent visitors:

On this Mother’s Day, our hearts are heavy as we extend our deepest condolences to Tamara Ortiz, Mike Garcia, and their entire family for the unimaginable loss of three of their beloved children on May 4th.”

The business stated, “They have been such great repeat guests of the BCR, and we are grateful for the beautiful memories they have made during their stays, including just two weeks prior to this tragedy. 💔.”