A Knox County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Officer was killed in a plane crash Saturday morning in South Carolina.  Thirty year old Lance J. Davis and another man were killed when their single engine Cessna crashed into Lake Russell in Abbeville County, South Carolina.

Davis had been a Reserve Officer with the Sheriff’s Office for a year working special events and visiting inmates on the weekends at the jail.  He was a graduate of South Doyle High School and the University of Tennessee and worked as a free-lance photographer.  Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones said, “Our deepest sympathies go to the family. Lance was a fine young man and an asset to our Reserve Unit.   He will be sadly missed.”

Davis and Jimmy Cash of Maryville were on their way to Georgia at the time of the crash.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation of a crash that left three people dead and three others injured Wednesday evening on Chapman Highway near the Knox County-Sevier County Line.  Three vehicles were involved in the 6:49 p.m. crash.  The dead are identified as 48 year old Robert Murphy and his 47 year old wife Lori of Seymour.  Their 4 year old son, Nicohlas, was treated and released from U.T. Hospital.  They were driving a Crown Victoria North on Chapman Highway.  The driver of a 2005 Jeep Liberty was also killed.  She is identified as 26 year old Jessica L. Monroe of Morristown.  The passenger, Elaina Jimenez, 22 was taken to U.T. Hospital.  No address is available at this time.  The Jeep was traveling south on Chapman.  The driver of a Culligan van was injured, 48 year old Greg Broyles of Seymour, but refused treatment.  He was also driving south.Officers say the preliminary investigation indicates the jeep was traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control and hit the van sending it rolling on its top.  It also hit the Crown Victoria.  The jeep and Crown Victoria both burst into flames. 

A witness told officers that a white F-150 Ford truck may have also been involved in the crash.  He said both the truck and jeep passed him speeding and that it looked like they were racing or was a case of road rage. The KCSO is asking that anyone with information about the truck please call Teleserve at 215-2243.  Callers may remain anonymous.

A KCSO Detective, Gabe Mullinax, was on his way home and came upon the crash immediately after it happened.  He used a tire iron to break the van windows to get water jugs to pour on the flame engulfed cars. Other by-standers helped get the two women out of the Jeep, and the Lori Murphy and her son out of the car.

Chapman Highway was shut down from the time of the accident at the county line and at Highland View until around 4 a.m.

Brent Fersner

Detectives identified the suspect as 21 year old Brent Fersner of Clinton Highway.  They tracked him down hours later and arrested him without incident and charged him with attempted robbery and public intoxication.  He is being held on a $4,500 bond.