THP Charges Hit & Run Suspect with Vehicular Homicide in Greene County
Tuesday, August 31, 2010 | 04:29am
NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol has charged a 21 year-old Mosheim man with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, and felony reckless endangerment in connection with a hit and run fatality, Monday, August 30, in Greene County.
Jeffrey Brian-Edward Wills, 21, of Mosheim, is also charged with failure to give immediate notice of a crash and leaving the scene of a crash following a hit and run fatality that killed Jackie Ricker, 19, of Rheatown.
At approximately 2:45 EST, Wills was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed on Milburton Road in a 2000 Toyota Tundra pickup truck. According to THP investigators, Wills Toyota intentionally struck the left rear of a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Jackie Ricker. The impact of Wills Toyota caused the Explorer to slide off the roadway striking an embankment. The Explorer then rolled and struck a tree. Ricker was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other passengers in the Explorer, Sammy Shanks, 31, of Greene County, and Nancy Wills, 29, of Rheatown, (no relation to the suspect), were seriously injured and flown to the Johnson City Medical Center.
Green County Sheriff’s deputies located Wills a short time after the fatal crash at a residence in Greene County, where he was detained and later arrested by THP Troopers.
Wills is being held in the Greene County Detention Center pending arraignment on the charges. Wills was also cited with speeding, driving left of center and seat belt violation.
THP Trooper Erick Gordon investigated the crash with assistance from the THP Critical Incident Response Team (C.I.R.T.).
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.