Funeral services held Wednesday for local National Guardsman

A National Guardsman who was within a few miles of returning home from a two-week training session in Pennsylvania has died early Monday as a result of injuries sustained in a single vehicle crash last Wednesday.

According to reports, Timothy Rogers, 19, of Corbin was traveling toward the intersection of Ohler Road (KY 1629) and Ky. 830 when the crash occurred. Rogers was reportedly still in uniform and his duffle bag was still in the truck when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle and ran off the road, striking a tree with the roof of the truck after it had started to overturn, striking a tree

According to published reports, Rogers’ mother Kim had just seen her son on I-75 as he was making his way home.

"I told him to be careful and I would see him when I got home," she said, fighting back emotions. "But he didn’t make it home."

Kim Rogers said that her son had always dreamed of being a soldier from the time he was a small child.
"He always that what he wanted to do was be in the Army and to go fight in other countries," she said.

According to Kentucky State Police Trooper Jay Sowders, witnesses at the scene said Rogers may have been traveling at a high rate of speed when the crash occurred. Based on other evidence at the scene, Sowders said he agreed.

"Witness stated that in their opinion, the crash victim was traveling at an excessive rate of speed," he said. "Based on the severity of the damage suffered, he probably was going pretty fast."

Rogers was reportedly wearing a seat belt, but suffered two skull fractures and a neck fracture. He had surgery to relieve swelling around his brain, but continued to have medical problems.

Rogers was a 2007 graduate of Corbin High School and had completed one year of school at Eastern Kentucky University. He completed basic training in Fort Benning, Ga.

Col. Rick McClure, Rogers’ High School JROTC Instructor talked about his former student on Tuesday, admitting that the next few days would be very sad ones for those who knew Rogers.

"Tim was a very bright individual who excelled not in only down here (JROTC), but in all of his classes," McClure said. "During his senior year he was our Battalion (S-1) Adjutant, which means he was responsible for inputting all of the data relative to promotions and such.

"He did a great job of that and actually trained another student to take over that job after he graduated," he added.

McClure said Rogers was a very personable young man and said that he thinks that will never be more evident than when his loved ones show up for visitation and funeral services over the course of the next few days.

"There will be a lot of people who come out to pay their respects," McClure said. "It is going to be a very sad time for all involved because with Tim’s passing, we have lost a really good young man."

Since Rogers was in uniform when the crash occurred and he was on his way home from an assignment, he is considered to have died in the line of duty.

Rogers was extricated from his XLT Ford Ranger truck within about five minutes after Corbin firefighters removed the hood and doors from his truck.

West Knox Volunteer Fire Department also responded, but Corbin Fire was able to be first on the scene. Knox County EMS also arrived at the scene and treated Rogers until he was flown to University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Rogers’ funeral is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Hart Funeral Home in Corbin with Chaplain Siddell and Rev. Bobby Joe Eaton officiating.