Two Walland residents airlifted to UT; nine total injured in crash
By Wes Wade | (wes.wade@thedailytimes.com)
Two Walland residents were flown to UT Medical Center following a two-vehicle collision on Sevierville Road Saturday afternoon that left nine people injured.
Tennessee Highway Patrol identified the airlifted victims as Mary and Rex Self. Their ages remain unknown. The seven others involved in the crash were transported to UT Medical Center by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service.
According to the THP report, the Selfs were passengers in a southbound Dodge Caravan driven by 43-year-old Walland resident Kevin Self.
The van went off the side of the road, overcorrected before driving up an embankment on the opposite side of the road near Destiny Lane, the report states.
A Toyota Camry traveling northbound struck the back of the van at 12:15 p.m. as the driver — Oynetta Robinette, 30, Phelts, Ky. — negotiated a curve. Rural/Metro Ambulance Service transported Robinette and four passengers to UT Medical Center. Tyler Robinette, 11, Phelts, Ky.; Latrisha Kinney, 35, Talbott; Brenda Shortridge, 49, Mt. Card, Ky.; and Edna Wolford, 56, Bidwell, Ohio.
Kevin Self and an additional passenger in the Caravan, 68-year-old Maryville resident Nancy Holbert, were also taken to UT Medical Center by Rural/Metro Ambulance.
Blount County firefighters from Station 7, located less than a mile away from the crash site, responded and extricated Mary and Rex Self from the back of the van. Firefighter Jason Stinnett said department personnel were forced to break out a side window in order to get to Rex.
“He was in the worst shape, by all means,” Stinnett said.
In order to remove Mary, firefighters had to dismantle a passenger side door. One of the sliding doors had become stuck partially open, Stinnett said.
“So we just had to pop a few hinges and lay it back,” Stinnett said.
Hospital staff could not be reached concerning conditions of any of the patients Saturday night.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office and Blount County Rescue Squad also responded. The Seymour Fire Department assisted in helping set up a landing zone for two Lifestar helicopters, which landed at the Blount County Fire Station 7.
The scene was cleared and traffic free to travel the roadway again at 2 p.m.
