Motorcyclist, 26, Killed in Crash With Turning Tractor-Trailer at Gallaher Road and Farmer Road in Kingston

KINGSTON, Tenn. — A 26-year-old motorcyclist died early Tuesday, November 10, 2026, after a crash with a tractor-trailer near Gallaher Road and Farmer Road in Kingston, according to the Kingston Police Department and a preliminary Tennessee Highway Patrol report cited by WATE.

According to that preliminary report, at around 6:43 a.m. a 2023 Kawasaki ER4 motorcycle was traveling on Gallaher Road toward Oak Ridge as a 2000 Peterbilt tractor-trailer was turning onto Gallaher Road from Farmer Road, heading toward I-40. The motorcycle struck the trailer at an angle, and both vehicles came to rest in the roadway. The rider, identified in the report only as a 26-year-old from Tennessee, died. The truck driver was not injured.

Update, Nov. 11: WVLT, citing the Tennessee Highway Patrol's preliminary report, identified the rider as Kyle Knight, 26, and reported that the driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured and is not facing charges. WVLT's account places the crash on SR-58 near Farmer Road and says, according to troopers, the tractor-trailer pulled out onto SR-58 from a parking lot on Farmer Road heading toward I-40 and that Knight hit the trailer at an angle. WVLT said no additional information was released. The absence of charges is not a finding on civil fault, and the THP investigation has not been reported as final.

Kingston police said the investigation was turned over to the Tennessee Highway Patrol because the crash involved a commercial vehicle on a state highway. BBBTV12 reported the crash at approximately 6 a.m., said the tractor-trailer was reportedly exiting the Weigel's property and entering the roadway, and said the motorcycle became trapped underneath it. The road was cleared at 11:11 a.m., police said.

We extend our sympathy to the rider's family and loved ones.

Key Facts

• Location: Gallaher Road at Farmer Road, Kingston, Roane County (Kingston PD via WATE); BBBTV12 placed it near the entrance to Weigel's Market
• Date and time: Tuesday, November 10, 2026, around 6:43 a.m. per the THP preliminary report (WATE); BBBTV12 reported approximately 6 a.m.
• Vehicles: 2023 Kawasaki ER4 motorcycle; 2000 Peterbilt tractor-trailer turning onto Gallaher Road toward I-40 (THP preliminary report via WATE)
• Death: The motorcyclist, Kyle Knight, 26 (THP preliminary report via WVLT)
• Truck driver: Not injured and not facing charges (WATE; WVLT, citing troopers)
• Investigation: Tennessee Highway Patrol, because a commercial vehicle was involved on a state highway (Kingston PD)

Sources checked as of November 11, 2026, 3:25 p.m. CST. This line is not the article's publication date.

Timeline of Official Statements and Reporting

• Nov. 10, around 6:43 a.m.: The motorcycle strikes the trailer (THP preliminary report via WATE).
• Just before 7:45 a.m.: Kingston police warn people to avoid the area (WATE).
• Nov. 10: Kingston police say the investigation is being turned over to THP (WATE).
• 11:11 a.m.: Police announce the scene has been cleared (WATE).
• Nov. 11, 2:47 p.m.: WVLT, citing the THP preliminary report, names the rider and reports the truck driver is not facing charges.

What Makes This Crash Different

This crash happened before sunrise as a long tractor-trailer was turning across the road, and the motorcycle struck the trailer at an angle. BBBTV12 reported that the motorcycle became trapped underneath the truck. When a vehicle goes under the side of a trailer, investigators often look at visibility: the trailer's lighting and reflective markings, the time a turning truck needs to clear the lanes, and what an approaching rider could see. Our guide on truck underride crashes explains the safety rules and evidence involved.

The early reports also differ. WATE, citing the THP preliminary report, says the truck was turning onto Gallaher Road from Farmer Road around 6:43 a.m.; BBBTV12 reported about 6 a.m. and said the truck was leaving the Weigel's property. The final THP report should resolve where the truck came from and the exact time. The truck's involvement does not by itself mean its driver was at fault.

Questions Investigators May Examine

• Where the truck entered Gallaher Road (SR-58): from Farmer Road (THP preliminary report via WATE), from a parking lot on Farmer Road (troopers via WVLT) or from the Weigel's property (BBBTV12).
• The trailer's lighting and reflective markings, and lighting at the intersection before sunrise.
• The motorcycle's speed and the time the truck needed to clear the lanes.
• The truck's engine data, any camera footage and the motor carrier's records.
• Any business or traffic video from the area.

These are investigative questions, not allegations that any driver, agency or company caused the crash.

What Remains Unknown

• Whether the final THP report changes the preliminary account; WVLT reported that the truck driver is not facing charges, and no final report has been reported.
• The exact time; the THP report cited by WATE says around 6:43 a.m., while BBBTV12 reported about 6 a.m.
• Where the truck came from, given the differing accounts.
• Where the rider was pronounced dead. BBBTV12 reported the rider was pronounced dead at the scene and later taken to Roane Medical Center, which it called standard protocol.

Evidence to Preserve

• Request the crash report when it is available (see below) and keep the report or case number.
• Find out where each vehicle is. Vehicles can be held as evidence. A person with legal authority can ask that a vehicle be preserved before it is repaired, salvaged or destroyed, while respecting any law-enforcement hold.
• Ask about video early. Tell investigators or a lawyer about businesses, traffic cameras or doorbell cameras near Gallaher Road and Farmer Road. Recordings can be overwritten. Do not enter restricted property to get them.
• Ask a lawyer about a preservation letter to the motor carrier for the truck's engine data, electronic logging records, camera footage and maintenance and lighting inspection files, which may be kept for limited periods.
• Ask about business video near the intersection, including at the nearby market, before it is overwritten.
• Keep original photos, texts and witness contact details without editing them. Access a deceased person's phone or accounts only with proper legal authority.
• Keep financial, work and insurance records, including funeral costs, medical bills, pay stubs, policies and claim letters.

Our guide on evidence that can disappear after a vehicle collision explains why preservation can matter before an investigation ends. Avoid public accusations, and do not post private family documents.

How to get the crash report. Tennessee's crash report instructions point to PurchaseTNCrash, which lists $10 for an online copy and asks for the last name, crash date, reporting agency, driver's license number and a VIN, plate or case number. The official FAQ warns that some investigations take longer and a report may not be complete yet. Because the Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating, its own records procedures and fees may also apply.

What Families Should Know

This is general information about Tennessee law, not advice about anyone's claim, and it does not assume anyone is at fault.

What is the deadline? Tennessee's general limitations statute, Tenn. Code §28-3-104(a)(1), requires actions for injuries to the person to be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued, and the Tennessee General Assembly's 2026 bill summary identifies the existing wrongful death period as one year. When the clock starts depends on accrual, which needs individual review, so do not assume it is simply one year from a particular date. The statute has a separate two-year provision that applies only when specific criminal-charge and prosecution conditions are all met, and the law says it is strictly construed. A crash alone does not trigger it.

Who can bring the claim? Tennessee law sets out who may bring a wrongful death claim and in what order, and the answer depends on the family's situation. A lawyer can confirm who has authority before anyone signs documents or talks settlement.

How does fault work? Under §29-39-102(b), no damages are recoverable if the plaintiff's fault, or in a wrongful death case the fault of the person who died, is equal to or greater than 50 percent. That is different from Texas's rule. The sources we reviewed make no finding on fault in this crash.

Damages limits. Tennessee generally limits noneconomic damages to $750,000 per injured plaintiff, or $1 million for specific catastrophic losses defined in the statute. That is not a cap on the entire claim or on economic losses such as medical bills and lost support, and the statute lists exceptions.

A wrongful death lawyer can explain these rules without assuming anyone is responsible. Before signing an insurance release, understand which claims it settles and whether you have authority to sign it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the truck driver facing charges? WVLT, citing troopers, reported on Nov. 11 that the truck driver is not facing charges. A criminal charging decision is separate from a civil claim and does not decide civil fault.

Who investigates? The Tennessee Highway Patrol took over from Kingston police because a commercial vehicle was involved on a state highway. THP crash reports are available through PurchaseTNCrash; see the section above.

Does it matter that a commercial truck was involved? It can affect which records exist and which insurance applies. It does not by itself mean the truck driver was at fault; Tennessee bars recovery if the person who died is found 50 percent or more at fault.

How long does a family have? Tennessee's general period is one year, and when it starts needs individual review. Talk with a lawyer soon.

How Dunk Law Firm Can Help

A case review can help identify which records to request, what evidence may need preserving, which insurance policies to look at and who may have authority to act. It cannot establish fault or promise compensation before the facts are known.

Dunk Law Firm handles wrongful death, catastrophic injury and commercial vehicle cases. Our Memphis office serves families in Kingston, Roane County and East Tennessee and throughout Tennessee, and the firm also serves clients statewide in Texas, Missouri and Wisconsin, with offices in Houston, St. Louis and Milwaukee. Dunk Law Firm does not contact families after a crash; if you have questions, reach out when you are ready.

For a free case review, call (888) 551-3865 or visit Dunk Law Firm. Help is available 24/7, with no upfront attorney fees. Ask about the written fee agreement and case expenses.

You do not need to have every document ready to ask an initial question.

Related Resources

• Dunk Law Firm: free case review
• Wrongful death claims
• Truck accident claims
• Motorcycle and scooter accident claims
• What families should do after a fatal vehicle accident
• What is a truck underride crash? Safety rules, evidence and legal options
• Truck dashcam and GPS evidence after a serious crash
• Evidence that can disappear after a vehicle collision
• Dunk Law Firm legal guides

Sources

Sources checked November 11, 2026, 3:25 p.m. CST.

1. WATE: Motorcyclist dead after crash involving tractor trailer in Kingston — Nov. 10, 2026; Kingston PD and THP preliminary report (text read via the WATE AMP page and the AOL syndication)
2. BBBTV12: Motorcyclist Killed in Crash With Tractor-Trailer on Gallagher Road in Kingston — Nov. 10, 2026
3. WVLT: Motorcyclist dies after crashing into back of tractor-trailer, troopers say — Nov. 11, 2026, 2:47 p.m. CST; THP preliminary report

The images with this article are AI-generated editorial illustrations, not photographs of the actual scene.

Attorney advertising. General information, not legal advice. No outcome is guaranteed, and contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. This report does not imply representation of anyone involved. Attorney review or approval is not claimed. Responsible attorney: Orville Dunk.