Dickson Co. family still searches for answers after I-840 crash kills 3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - A Dickson County family said the Tennessee Highway Patrol didn’t thoroughly investigate an accident that killed three of their family members last January.

Jeremy Cook, his fiancé, Johanna Manor, and their 8-year-old daughter were missing for 10 days. They were found dead under a bridge on Interstate 840.

Since then, the THP has completed its investigation, but it doesn’t say how the three went over a highway barrier.

The concrete block should have stopped Cook, the driver. Photos from the THP investigation show black markings where the pick-up truck skidded before going over. But their family still wants to know what forced the truck to go over a barrier meant to keep cars on the road.

Images from the THP investigation report show the smashed pickup truck Jeremy Cook, Johanna Manor, and their daughter Adalicia Manor were traveling in.

The THP says the three were driving on Interstate I-840 around midnight last January. Somehow, they hit a concrete barrier and plunged to their death.

“It came up over the bridge and “boom” right on four wheels,” says JP Biggs, Johanna’s father.

He has come to the spot off Boston Theta Road dozens of times since the accident, trying to figure out what forced the truck over the edge. All he has are THP’s pictures and a 12 second video from THP of a plow truck’s dashcam showing snowy conditions. To him, it’s not enough.

“If they can show me one that morning, they can show me one that night,” Biggs says. “I wanted to put this back out there. Maybe someone has seen something. It’s just hard to believe this truck went over the rail due to a bit of snow on the road.”

WSMV4′s Chief Meteorologist, Lisa Spence says that weekend was a significant storm in Middle Tennessee. The storm started as freezing rain, turned to snow, and brought anywhere from an inch to six inches in some areas.

“Bridges, overpasses, are always the trickiest when it comes to traveling during winter weather,” says Spencer. “Because if you think of it, you got wind blowing over the bridge, wind blowing under the bridge. Those temperatures are staying so cold they are going to stay the iciest the longest.”

Lori Troxel, a Vanderbilt University civil engineering professor, says the barriers are built to prevent cars going over. However, no engineering or design is 100% safe.

“If they slip on a patch of ice they could flip over it,” says Troxel.

Bigg still believes someone may have seen more and wants them to come forward.

“We don’t want to the money, we don’t want to sue nobody over this, I just want justice about it,” says Biggs. “And whoever caused it needs to be brought to justice for it.”

Cook’s autopsy results show he also had THC in his system, but not enough to impair him.

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