DRIVEWAY DISASTER: Clayton airlifted after pickup runs into creek bed

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Sheriff’s Lt. Jody Cavanaugh and tow truck operator Brad Norrod discuss how to get the truck, driven by Terry Michael Clayton, 16, out of the creek. (Duane Sherrill photo)

A local teen suffered serious injuries Monday when his truck ran into a creek bed as he was turning into his own driveway.

The victim, Terry Michael Clayton, 16, was airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga by LifeForce helicopter which made its landing in a field near the accident site. Clayton was admitted to the medical center for treatment of head injuries. His sister and passenger, Holly Clayton, escaped injury.

The accident happened around 5 p.m. Monday off Roy Foster Road in the Dibrell area. Accident investigators say Clayton was pulling into his driveway when he lost control of his truck and ran over a concrete bridge at the end of his driveway.

The truck came to a sudden stop as it hit the ground below, its rear wheels still on the drive on the edge of the bridge while the nose of the truck was planted in the creek below. Given the short drop of less than 10 feet, the truck remained in a vertical position, concerning rescuers it might slide completely over the bridge during extrication of the unconscious victim. The truck was secured by chains before Clayton was pulled from the wreckage.

A subsequent investigation of the scene revealed Clayton had narrowly missed a guard rail meant to prevent such an accident. Lawmen believe Clayton may have lost steering due to a mechanical malfunction as he was turning into his driveway from the road, thereby leaving him powerless to turn the wheel and avoid plummeting over the bridge.