Authorities say a pickup truck slammed into a church van early Thursday in Athens on state Highway 30, injuring a child and three adults.
Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Bill Miller said 18-year-old Zachery Crager of Decatur, told officers the brakes on his 2002 Chevrolet Silverado failed causing him to crash into a church van driven by Gary Culberson, 61, of Etowah.
The crash was reported at 9:23 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Highway 30 near the National Guard Armory.
The 2011 Ford E350 van was loaded with 11 children from Athens, Englewood, Etowah and Reliance ranging in age from 4 to 8, and one adult passenger from Englewood, according to Miller.
Miller said 6-year-old Kaiden Boyer was taken to Starr Regional Medical Center in Athens and then transferred to University of Tennessee Hospital in Knoxville.
The other 10 children were taken to Starr Regional Medical Center in Etowah to be checked out by medical staff, he said.
The other children in the van were identified as Brayden Martin, 4, Matthew Nichols, 8, Javon Batts, 6, Thomas Underwood, 6, Amos Landerth, 6, Casin Lee, 6, Noah Ownbey, 6, Jesse Holden, 6, Clark Patterson, 6, and Aaden Fry, 6, according to THP.
Crager was taken to the hospital in Athens first then transferred to UT Hospital in Knoxville while Culberson was treated for his injuries at the hospital in Etowah.
Adult van passenger Whitney Martin, 27, of Englewood, was flown Knoxville for treatment of her injuries.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, Miller said.
All drivers and passengers were wearing seat belts.
Crager will be cited for failure to maintain an operating vehicle, Miller said.
Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com ortwitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.