KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A witness called the accident that killed a 10-year-old boy on Christmas Eve "unavoidable."
Sawyer Black was hit by a vehicle as he crossed Strawberry Plains Pike after attending a church service. The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died of his injuries.
Sawyer was crossing the street with his older brother, Juddsen.
According to the police report, the 66-year-old driver of a pickup truck said he didn't see either of them "until they were directly in front of his vehicle and that he did not have time to avoid striking one of them."
A witness in another car directly behind the accident said he saw the pedestrians "dart from behind another vehicle" and he "felt the crash was unavoidable."
Juddsen Black told the investigating officer that he saw a vehicle approaching in the southbound lanes but thought they had plenty of time to cross the road. But, according to the report, he didn't see the truck coming from the other direction until the last minute. He said he made it into the ditch and wasn't hit, but Sawyer was behind him and was struck.
A woman who was in a nearby parking lot said she saw Sawyer stop or slow for a moment as he crossed the street, but then continue going before he was hit.
The officer noted there was no presence of alcohol or drugs present in the driver, but test results are pending. The only violation listed against the driver was for having no insurance.