April 17, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
One person was injured in a crash Saturday night on Highway 56 south near Ferrell Road and Pine Creek Nursery just south of Seven Springs Road. The wreck caused a power outage for a large area in the southern portion of the county.
According to Trooper Danielle Neal of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 21 year old Brandon Kircher of Smithville was traveling north on Highway 56 in a 2001 Ford Edge and failed to maintain the lane crossing the center line. The vehicle exited the roadway to the left and struck a mailbox before hitting a utility pole. It then went into a ditch and overturned onto its top with one passenger being completely ejected and another partially ejected out of the passenger side window.
Kircher, who was wearing his seatbelt, was not injured.
One of the passengers, 57 year old Michael Patillo of Chattanooga was taken by DeKalb EMS to Vanderbilt Hospital. The other passenger, 31 year old Ashley Ford of Bank, Tennessee was not injured. Neither Patillo or Ford were wearing their seat belts.
Kircher was cited for failing to maintain lane of travel, failing to provide proof of financial responsibility, and driving without a license
Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department were also on the scene to provide assistance.