McMinn County deputy sheriff, teen injured in apparent texting-while-driving collision

Arkansas-North Carolina Live Blog
photo A McMinn County deputy sheriff and a 17-year-old went to the hospital Wednesday after a head on car collision.

A McMinn County deputy sheriff and a 17-year-old went to the hospital Wednesday after a collision with a teenager who was texting and driving, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 17-year-old from Englewood, whose identity was not released, was driving driving his 1996 Honda Civic west on State Route 39 when he crossed the center line, according to the crash report. Deputy Sheriff Randy Gabrel, who had been driving east, stopped his 2013 Dodge Charger to try to avoid the crash.

However, according to the crash report, the teenager still hit the truck in a head to head collision. The crash's impact pushed Gabrel's vehicle back about 8 feet.

Members of Life Force took the teenager to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. More Life Force members took Gabrel to Erlanger Medical Center.

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