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Alcoa Hwy (I'llkillya Hwy) is the 4-lane divided highway before the Dragon. It intersects with I-140 Pellissippi Parkway (Convicted Senator Carl "Coca" Koella Kill A Biker Hwy).

Louisville man killed in crash on Alcoa Highway

By Jessica Stith
Maryville Daily Times
June 25. 2008

A 23-year-old Louisville man was killed when his motorcycle crashed into the back of a van on Alcoa Highway Tuesday night.

Brantley E.Toomer, 23, Reed Road, Louisville, was pronounced dead following the accident that occurred at 10:06 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the highway near Cusick Road, Alcoa Police Sgt. Hank Morris said.

Morris said Toomer was traveling "at a very high rate of speed" when the crash occurred on Alcoa Highway and said he had seen the motorcyclist speeding on Hall Road just before the accident.

"He passed me doing at least 90 (mph) on Hall Road," Morris said.

Morris said he was traveling in the opposite direction when he saw the motorcyclist on Hall Road and could not get turned around quick enough to stop him. He said he notified dispatch and other officers of the speeding motorcyclist.

Witnesses told Alcoa police officers that the motorcyclist was "cutting in and out of traffic" on Alcoa Highway.

Morris said Joann T. Cantrell, 48, Mynders Avenue, Maryvile, was driving a Dodge Caravan in the left hand lane of the northbound lanes of the highway. He said Toomer tried to swerve around the van while traveling behind it and hit the back end of the van.

When the black and white Yamaha motorcyle hit the back of the van, Toomer was thrown off of the bike and onto Alcoa Highway, Morris said.

Toomer was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel. His body was taken by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to Blount Memorial Hospital.

Neither Cantrell or her two passengers were reported injured in the accident.

Alcoa firefighters, Blount County Sheriff's deputies and Knoxville Metropolitan Airport Authority officers assisted Alcoa police officers at the scene of the accident.

The northbound lanes of Alcoa Highway were shut down from the Hunt Road exit to Cusick Road until after 12 a.m. today while officers reconstructed the crash.

For more details, check back at The (Maryville, Tennessee) Daily Times or read Thursday's edition of The Daily Times.

In related news this week:

TN Supreme Court says cops can arrest drivers for driving too slow: 20 mph in a 35 zone

Trike tourist dies of heart attack in hospital, blamed on Dragon bite

Lest we forget:

Cop murders biker cop for speeding near the Dragon