LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating after one man was killed and another was seriously injured in a side-by-side crash.

According to TWRA officials, two men left work at a truck stop in LaFollette around 8:30 p.m. Saturday and traveled side by side toward the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area from Highway 63.

At some point during the night, officials said they fell off a 200-foot-high rock wall into an area known as the “sand mines.”

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and killed, and the passenger, who was wearing a seat belt, was knocked unconscious and seriously injured, authorities said.

While it is unknown what time the incident occurred, authorities said the passenger regained consciousness around 3:30 a.m. Sunday and called 911.

Rescuers then arrived at the scene and stabilized the passenger, but were unable to take him to the hospital due to how remote the area is, TWRA officials said.

A National Guard Blackhawk helicopter arrived at the scene around 9 a.m. and took the passenger to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. Authorities said the driver’s body was recovered around 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

The driver has not been identified.

The incident remains under investigation by TWRA.

Copyright 2024WVLT. All rights reserved.