September 21, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
A Sparta man was airlifted around midnight Friday after his car struck and killed a horse in the roadway and then plunged off an embankment on Highway 70 east near Ollie Billings Road.
According to Trooper Jonathan Burke of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 59 year old James Rice is in critical condition at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga. A female passenger with Rice was not injured.
Trooper Burke told WJLE that Rice was traveling west on Highway 70 in a 1998 Honda Civic when he struck a horse standing in the roadway. The car then went off the left side of the highway and over an embankment. The car overturned on its top and came to a stop at the bottom of the embankment at Ollie Billings Road.
After the crash another motorist came upon the scene and struck the remains of the horse in the roadway. After the driver stopped and got out, he saw headlights shining from Rice’s car down the embankment and went to help. He cut the seatbelts loose from Rice and his passenger.
DeKalb EMS and members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department and Sheriff’s Department arrived on the scene. A helicopter landing zone was set up nearby and Rice was airlifted to Erlanger.
Meanwhile two people were injured in separate motorcycle crashes Saturday in DeKalb County
According to Trooper Chris Delong of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, 26 year old Corey Spare of Smithville was traveling east on Highway 70 east (Sparta Highway) on a 1981 GVT Suzuki motorcycle and could not stop after vehicles in front of him slowed due to another automobile making a left turn. Trying to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front of him, Spare swerved and ran off the right side of the roadway. The bike then struck a ditch causing disabling damage to the motorcycle. Spare was wearing a helmet.
60 year old Dawn Walker of Murfreesboro was hurt in a motorcycle wreck on Dale Ridge Road (Highway 96) Saturday afternoon.
Trooper Troy Withers of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said Walker was traveling south on 2006 Honda VTX and went off the right side of the roadway and into the grass while trying to negotiate a curve. Walker was thrown from the bike as it overturned. After impact the motorcycle came to rest on its side, facing south off the right side of the roadway. Walker was wearing a helmet.