Whitley Sheriff’s deputy involved in Monday crash

A Whitley County Sheriff’s deputy was involved in a wreck on U.S. 25W in the Canadatown area Monday morning that resulted in a 6-year-old being airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Sheriff Colan Harrell said Deputy Todd Shelley was driving the department’s pickup truck that was rear ended while traveling north near Old Mount Zion Road at approximately 8 a.m.

Officials said Shelley, who was responding to a call, had stopped to turn left into a driveway when a Buick sedan came over the hill.

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said the driver of the Buick, identified as Jessica Boyd, attempted to stop. However, when she applied the brakes, the car began spinning as it skidded down the hill. As a result, the left side of the car struck the back of the pickup.

Bird said the 6-year-old was initially taken by ambulance to Baptist Health Corbin and later airlifted to UT with head injuries.

A second child in the Buick was treated for minor injuries.

Shelley was also taken to Baptist Health Corbin where he was treated and released.

“He is real sore,” Whitley County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tim Baker said of Shelley.

Traffic was reduced to one lane for approximately 30 minutes as emergency personnel worked to clear the scene.

Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman is continuing the investigation into the crash.