From NewsChannel 9: McMINN COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE: TVA has responded to a deadly crash in McMinn County that one of their employee's was involv
From NewsChannel 9: McMINN COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE:
TVA has responded to a deadly crash in McMinn County that one of their employee’s was involved in, who they say was off-duty at the time.
TVA says in a statement…
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of everyone involved in the tragic accident. We are cooperating with local authorities as they investigate the incident, which involved one of our vehicles operated by an off-duty employee.”
EARLIER:
A TVA employee from Signal Mountain charged after a deadly crash in McMinn County admitted to investigators he should not have been driving after he had 3 beers, according to a report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The high-speed rear-end crash, which killed the driver, Joseph Self, and sent another woman to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, happened a little after 11 a.m. on Highway 411.
A report says THP trooper spoke with the driver, Jeffrey Simmons, shortly after first responders tended to his medical needs.
The report says Simmons told the trooper he had 3 high gravity tallboy beers before getting behind the wheel of a Dodge 2500 truck owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
It says Simmons failed a sobriety test, and told the trooper “he should not have been driving due to having too much to drink,” according to the report.
The report goes on to say Simmons told troopers he thought he had been traveling on Dayton Boulevard in Red Bank, in Hamilton County.
“He repeatedly asked me and other THP members what had happened,” the investigating trooper writes.
Troopers determined excessive speed caused the crash.
The report says Simmons is charged with reckless driving, and that more charges may be coming.
We have reached out to TVA for comment on this story, and we’ll share it here if and when we hear back.
