By SABRINA GARRETT
The Wilson Post

A Lebanon man received life-threatening injuries when the car he was driving struck a rock embankment and flipped several times Thursday morning on Interstate 40 East at mile marker 231.

The accident happened about 9 a.m., said Lebanon Police Officer Steve Green. He identified the driver of the 2010 Lexus RX 5 as George Summers, 68, of Lebanon.

Green said witnesses told him that Summers swerved for an unknown reason and flipped several times after hitting the embankment.

“We don’t really know what happened – if he was swerving to avoid hitting something or if he fell asleep – no drugs or alcohol were involved,” Green said. “He had his seatbelt on and that is what I believed saved him.”

The officer compared the top of Summers’ Lexus to a “banana peel” that was peeled off the exterior of the car following the wreck.

“He was conscious and talking to us but he was airlifted to Vanderbilt with life-threatening injuries,” Green added.

The accident brought traffic to a standstill on I-40 for 1-1/2 hours. It occurred between Beckwith Road and Highway 109 in the construction zone where that section of the interstate is being widened.

Staff Writer Sabrina Garrett can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .