A Devil’s Creek man was killed and a second man is in serious condition after their Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck crossed the centerline on My. 511 and ran head-on into a Ford F350 truck Friday night.
Whitley CountySheriff’s Department officials stated that 35-year-old Jason Wilson died from injuries he sustained in the crash.
Thirty-twoyear-old Wesley Bennett, who was the passenger in the S-10, is listed in serious condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
"It just happened,” said Robert Tye of Oak Grove, who was driving the F250, which he was using to haul a trailer loaded with a tractor. “It was pretty quick.”
Tye said as he was traveling west on Ky. 511 about a mile from the intersection with U.S. 25W. As he approached a left hand curve, the S-10, which was traveling east, came around the curve at a high rate of speed.
“He started to go through the fence, but then he overcorrected and was on my side of the road,” Tye said.
Oak Grove and Woodbine firefighters were paged to the scene about 7:34 p.m. in response to a call of an accident with injuries with possible entrapment and one vehicle on fire.
Firefighters reported no fire, but used the Jaws-of-Life to cut off the roof of the S-10 to free Wilson and Bennett.
“I just seen the driver laying back and the passenger laying over in his lap,” said one of the first witnesses on the scene.
A helicopter landing zone was established at the Corbin Speedway. Whitley EMS ambulances transported Bennett and Wilson to the speedway. From there, they were flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonah Saunders is investigating the wreck.
Tye was visibly shaken by the incident but declined medical attention.
Ky. 511 was closed to traffic for more than an hour as emergency personnel worked to clear the scene.
