Fatal crash near tunnel causes 18-year-old to lose her life

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — An 18-year-old woman lost her life in a fatal car crash near the East Ridge Tunnel early Sunday morning.

Chattanooga Police, Chattanooga Fire, and Hamilton County EMS responded to 2500 Westside Drive a little after 3:00 a.m.

A silver Honda Civic had gone down the embankment and overturned.

Three people were in the accident.

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.

The driver continued straight, went through the guardrail and down the embankment into thick vegetation.