Fatal Wreck Near The East Ridge Tunnel

CHATTANOOGA, TN. – An 18-year-old woman lost her life in a fatal, single-car car crash near the East Ridge Tunnel early this morning.

Chattanooga Police, Chattanooga Fire, and Hamilton County EMS responded to 2500 Westside Drive at 3:11 this morning. A silver Honda Civic had gone down the embankment and overturned. Three people were in the car; the back seat passenger, 18-year-old Karen Ortiz, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and front-seat passenger were able to climb out of the overturned vehicle and call for help. The driver wasn’t hurt and the front-seat passenger was treated for minor injuries.

Investigators were told the driver, who is a juvenile, had come through the tunnel from East Ridge but was unfamiliar with the roundabout at the end of the tunnel, continued straight, went through the guardrail and down the embankment into thick vegetation.