An unusual single-vehicle accident in the Coopertown area of West Oneida claimed the life of a Helenwood man late Saturday.
Identified as a victim in the crash, which occurred on S.R. 297 just east of the Station Camp Road intersection, was Ernest Green, 19, of a Butler Lane address in the Tunnel Hill community.
Green was a passenger in the vehicle, a 1995 Mitsubishi Mirage driven by Andrew Ellis, 19, of Oneida.
According to a report filed by Trooper Mark Chitwood of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Mitsubishi was east-bound on Hwy. 297 when the accident occurred, around 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
The report indicated that Ellis lost control of the vehicle, which left the roadway, crashed through a wooden fence and continued several hundred feet before crashing through another wooden fence.
The vehicle came to rest after crashing into the side of a wood-frame home on the farm of Dr. Bruce Coffey, some 579 ft. from where it left the roadway.
According to Trooper Chitwood, the area of the home struck by the vehicle was a child’s bedroom, and the bed was knocked across the room by the force of the impact. Fortunately, the room was unoccupied at the time. Only one of the residence’s occupants was home, and was uninjured in the accident.
Both Ellis and Green were transported by Scott County EMS to the St. Mary’s of Scott County helipad, where they were immediately airlifted to University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. Green was pronounced dead at UT, while Ellis remained hospitalized Monday with injuries that were said to be non-life threatening.
Trooper Chitwood’s report indicated that both men were wearing seatbelts when the accident occurred.
The report indicated that charges are pending.
The accident was the second traffic fatality in Scott County this year.
