Local teen dies in weekend crash; police say excessive speed, alcohol likely factors

Zack Byrd

Williamsburg police say excessive speed and alcohol involvement are suspected in a fatal crash early Saturday morning that claimed the life of a teenager and has left the driver of the vehicle critically injured.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said the crash happened on US25W near the south side Tobacco Shack about 3:30 a.m.
Samuel B. Vanover, 21, of Whetstone, was driving a 1997 Dodge Neon south on US25W when he veered off the right shoulder of the road, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

Vanover overcorrected, which caused the vehicle to skid sideways across the southbound lane of travel and into the oncoming lane of travel before striking a tree, Bird said.

The vehicle skidded for about 318 feet before stopping.

Vanover was ejected from the vehicle and was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he was still unresponsive as of Sunday, Bird said.

According to a hospital spokesperson Tuesday afternoon, Vanover was listed in "critical condition."

Bird declined to release the name of the passenger in the vehicle because he was a juvenile, but said he apparently died in route to Jellico Community Hospital.

Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley identified the deceased as Zachariah "Zack" Wade Byrd, 17, who was a Whitley County High School student.

Croley said that Byrd was pronounced dead by doctors at Jellico Community Hospital due to injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

The investigating officer, Mike Taylor, noted that both speed and alcohol were contributing factors to the accident, Bird said.
The accident report notes there were empty beer cans in the floor of the vehicle and half a case of beer in the back seat.
Bird said Vanover is facing possible criminal charges if he survives his injuries.

Bird said that the crash was both tragic and preventable.

He said his department participates in the highway safety grant program each year in an effort to decrease drunk driving and try to prevent accidents, such as this.

"We try to enforce seatbelt use and speed to try to deter some of this from happening. We can’t deter it all. It is one of those things," Bird noted.

Neither occupant in the vehicle was wearing a seatbelt.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Taylor is continuing the investigation and was assisted at the scene by Officer Tim Shelley, Williamsburg Fire and Rescue and Whitley County EMS.

Byrd is survived by his parents, Jerri Byrd Inman and Matthew Inman of Williamsburg.

Visitation will be after 5 p.m. Wednesday at Croley Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Croley Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Robert Caddell and Rev. Auston Brown officiating. After the funeral, Byrd will be laid to rest in the Ball Cemetery.

Chief Bird added that police have received information from a couple of sources that some of the deceased victim’s friends are planning to close a portion of US25W Thursday afternoon where the wreck occurred. The friends apparently plan to put burnout marks on the roadway after the funeral as a way to honor their friend.

Chief Bird said this would not be a good way for the people to try to honor their friend.

"It definitely would not be advisable for them to do that," Bird noted. "If they are caught, they will go to jail."