ALL LANES OF INTERSTATE 81 ARE BACK OPEN. THIS FOLLOWING AN EARLY MORNING THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. THE SOUTHBOUND LANES AROUND MILE MARKER 41 WERE SHUT DOWN AFTER A TRACTOR TRAILER CARRYING FURNITURE HIT A TRUCK CONTRACTED BY THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND A THP PATROL CAR THAT WERE PARKED AT A WORK ZONE. THE DRIVER OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER, 56 YEAR OLD GARY HIGGINS OF GALAX, VIRGINIA, WAS AIRLIFTED TO HOLSTON VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER IN KINGSPORT AFTER BEING TRAPPED IN THE CAB OF HIS TRUCK. A PASSENGER IN THE TRUCK, 47 YEAR OLD JONATHAN TAYLOR OF DUGSPUR, VIRGINIA, WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. MEANWHILE, TROOPER NATHAN HALL WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL. THERE WAS NO ONE WAS IN THE TDOT CONTRACTED TRUCK AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.