Police have identified the woman who died in a single-vehicle accident Wednesday night off Dry Leaf Road in the Poga community.
Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford said Stacy Sherrill, 38, of Butler, was driving with her husband, James Sherrill, when the car skidded off an embankment and rolled several times until it stopped 300 feet below the roadway.
The car went over the embankment around 10 p.m., Lunceford said, adding to James Sherrill said he did not make it up the embankment till around 8 a.m. Thursday morning. He then walked a mile to a friend’s house where he called police, Lunceford said.
The Carter County Rescue Squad, Sheriff’s Office, Elk Mills Volunteer Fire Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol arrived on scene not long after 9 a.m.
The vehicle was not removed until around 5 p.m. said Lunceford, adding emergency crews had to cut down trees and use a wench to drag out the vehicle.
“It wasn’t just a hill, it was rather steep,” said Lunceford.
The car rolled over several times, Lunceford said, adding that there is no indication that the driver or passenger were wearing seatbelts. The tires of the car were so bald the wiring on one was exposed, Lunceford said.
“Alcohol was involved, but to what extent we’ll never know,” he said.
Because the driver was deceased, her husband was the only witness, which Lunceford said puts any investigation at somewhat of a standstill.
An autopsy has been ordered for the woman, Lunceford said. James Sherrill suffered cuts and bruises as a result of the wreck.