The Franklin Police Department’s Critical Incident Response Team is investigating a very serious crash on I-65 that has claimed two lives.

At 9:17 Monday night, officers were called to 65S at mile marker 64.4, approximately one mile south of Murfreesboro Road, where it was reported that a semi had flipped onto a passenger vehicle. Traffic investigators were able to determine that an SUV hit a patch of black ice, and rolled over. A mother and her young son who saw what had happened stopped to help. They were both outside of the vehicle when they were struck by a semi; the child died at the scene, and his mother was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time ago.

Five people were in the SUV that rolled over after hitting a patch of ice. Two passengers from that SUV were critically injured, the other three were not hurt.

Travel remains extremely dangerous, and people are urged to stay off of the roads until conditions dramatically improve, which will not likely be anytime soon. The scene remains active at the time of this release, and southbound I-65 traffic must exit at Murfreesboro Road.

Our hearts are heavy for the families affected by this terrible tragedy.