What This Story Is About
- A golf cart carrying passengers from Florida and Michigan rolled over while turning onto East Parkway in Sevier County and was subsequently struck by an oncoming Dodge Journey.
Why It Matters
- Golf carts are increasingly popular for local transit in tourism-heavy areas like Sevier County.
What Happens Next
- The Tennessee Highway Patrol is conducting an investigation into the crash to determine if speed or other factors contributed to the loss of control
For Context
- Tennessee law heavily restricts the use of low-speed vehicles and golf carts on state highways and major parkways. State and local authorities continue to regulate where and how these utility vehicles can operate on public roads, especially as tourist traffic peaks during the summer months.
Catch Up
- The initial report said charges are pending following a crash near Gatlinburg that injured three people.
SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – State troopers say a golf cart crash in Sevier County has left two people injured after the cart lost control, rolled over, and was struck by an oncoming SUV.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) released a preliminary report detailing the multi-state passenger collision, which occurred on Thursday afternoon.
Overturned Vehicle Leads to Collision
The crash occurred at approximately 3:14 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the intersection of East Parkway and Roosevelt Drive.
According to state troopers, a 2019 Club Car golf cart was traveling north on Roosevelt Drive when the driver attempted to turn right onto East Parkway. During the turn, the driver lost control of the golf cart, causing it to flip over onto East Parkway.
While overturned, the golf cart was struck by a 2019 Dodge Journey.
Details on Passengers and Injuries
Four people were traveling in the golf cart at the time of the crash, none of whom were wearing safety restraints:
- The driver, 30-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez of Florida, was injured in the crash.
- A passenger, 23-year-old Mikayal Gonzalez of Florida, was uninjured.
- A passenger, 62-year-old Glenda Sprague of Michigan, was injured in the crash.
- A passenger, 62-year-old Troy Sprague of Michigan, was uninjured.
The Dodge Journey was driven by 41-year-old Jessica Kawczynski of Tennessee, who was wearing her seatbelt and was not injured. A 7-year-old juvenile passenger in the SUV was also wearing a seatbelt and escaped injury.
Ongoing Investigation and Pending Charges
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has not filed any charges against either driver at this time, though the incident remains under active investigation.
Emergency crews responded to the scene to treat the injured passengers, whose current medical conditions have not been released.
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