County Road Department Employee Dies in Accident

An employee of the DeKalb County Road Department died Wednesday after the pavement roller he was operating went off the road and plunged down a steep embankment in Lakeview Mountain Estates
Dead is 61 year old Alfred E. Young of Smithville.
Sergeant Mark Dial of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that Young was trying to make a left turn from Mullican Drive to Lakeside Drive when the pavement roller went off the embankment. Young was thrown from the roller and died at the scene.
The accident was reported to 911 at 12:55 p.m.
County Road Supervisor Kenny Edge told WJLE that about ten men from his department were in the area making road repairs and maintenance on Mullican Drive, Lakeview Circle, and Floyd Drive. According to Edge, two men were chipping, four men were driving gravel trucks, one man was operating a grader, two were putting down oil, and Mr. Young was operating the roller. The other men were apparently working on the road ahead of Mr. Young at the time of the accident, and none of them saw what happened.
According to Sergeant Dial there were no witnesses to the accident but a resident in the area apparently heard a noise and went to investigate. The witness reportedly looked over the embankment, saw the roller and then called 911.
Members of the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Cookeville Highway Station and Extrication and Rescue Team responded along with the DeKalb County Rescue Squad, EMS, and Sheriff’s Department.
Sources say the roller was found approximately 50 to 75 feet down the embankment off Lakeside Drive and the body was discovered about 20 feet from the equipment.
The fire department’s rescue team and the DeKalb County Rescue Squad assisted EMS using ropes and a rescue basket to remove Young’s body from the scene. An ambulance then transported it to the hospital.
The accident was investigated by Sergeant Dial, assisted by the Trooper Dewaine Jennings of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Two 25 ton tow trucks and a 45 ton wrecker were needed to pull the pavement roller up the hill to the side of the road at Lakeside Drive Wednesday night.
Edge says Mr. Young was a good friend and employee and his heart goes out to the Young family.