Nine injured, one charged in head-on collision in Walland
By J.J. Kindred And Iva Butler | (jj.kindred@thedailytimes.com) , (ivab@thedailytimes.com)
A Louisville man faces multiple charges after a head-on collision that injured nine people Sunday night on East Lamar Alexander Parkway between Hatcher’s Cut and Fence Rail Gap Road in Walland.
Cole Houston Williamson, 23, Dovefield Court, Louisville, was charged with DUI and two counts of vehicular assault.
He was also charged with reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, failure to exercise due care, driving left of center, seat belt violation, no proof of insurance, incorrect address on driver’s license, driving with a suspended license, possession of a suspended license, and violation of the open container law.
He was being held in the Blount County Detention Facility on $5,750 bond pending a 1:30 p.m. Feb. 14 hearing in Blount County General Sessions Court.
A 2002 Nissan Xterra driven by Williamson, along with a passenger, Ryan Atkins, 23, of Crescent Ridge Court, Maryville, was heading north on East Lamar Alexander Parkway toward Maryville at a little after 7 p.m., according to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Best.
Williamson’s vehicle crossed the center line and struck a Ford Expedition driven by 30-year-old Silas Roe, of Summerville, Ga. Roe’s passengers included his wife, 28-year-old Brandy Roe, his father-in-law and four children. One of the passengers had to be cut out of the vehicle.
Roe and all of his passengers were taken via Rural/Metro to University of Tennessee Medical Center. Roe was reported to be in stable condition, according to the nursing supervisor. No information was available on his passengers’ conditions, but none of them had life-threatening injuries, according to Best.
Atkins’ mother, Alene Atkins, told The Daily Times in an email Monday afternoon that her son was doing well. “He’s bruised, sore and thankful to be alive, and also thankful no one was killed,” she said.
The Townsend Fire Department got the call at about 7:15 p.m. The Blount County Fire Department, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Blount County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene.
Townsend sent 10 people and three trucks, and Blount County had seven people and two trucks. The scene was cleared at about 9:45 p.m., according to Townsend Volunteer Fire Department Chief Don Stallions.
