Authorities in Sullivan County have charged a 21-year-old man with multiple offenses, including vehicular homicide and DUI, following a deadly crash that occurred early Monday morning. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the tragic incident unfolded shortly before 4 a.m. along Highway 421 near Shady Ford Road. Investigators said the vehicle involved, a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, was traveling north when a passenger leaned out of the window moments before the crash.
Fatima Guadalupe Valenzuela-Flores
THP’s preliminary report indicated that the vehicle veered off the right side of the highway and entered a ditch. During the crash, the passenger, identified as 21-year-old Fatima Guadalupe Valenzuela-Flores, was thrown from the vehicle and landed in the ditch. Emergency responders arrived quickly after the 911 call, but despite life-saving efforts, Valenzuela-Flores was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirmed that her injuries were consistent with being ejected during the collision.
The driver, identified by THP as Jacob Dylan Chambers, 21, allegedly drove away from the scene immediately after the crash. Investigators said Chambers later returned past the site before crossing the bridge over South Holston Lake and stopping in a nearby boat ramp parking area, where troopers located and detained him. Chambers was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, DUI, driving on a suspended license, and reckless endangerment.
A second passenger inside the Equinox was not injured, according to authorities. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the crash, including whether Chambers’s alleged intoxication and the passenger’s actions contributed to the fatal outcome. As part of the ongoing investigation, THP will also conduct toxicology testing to determine Chambers’s blood alcohol content at the time of the incident.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol emphasized that this case underscores the dangers of impaired driving and reckless behavior behind the wheel. Officials urged drivers to make responsible decisions, especially when transporting passengers, and reminded the public that driving under the influence is a criminal act that can have devastating consequences. “Every fatal crash we investigate is a reminder that one poor choice can destroy multiple lives,” a THP spokesperson said.
Valenzuela-Flores’s death has left her family and friends heartbroken. Loved ones described her as a kind and energetic young woman with a bright future ahead. As the investigation continues, the community mourns her loss and hopes that justice will bring some measure of closure. Authorities are urging anyone with additional information about the crash to contact the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
