Kingston teen killed in Roane County wreck

Kingston teen killed in Roane County wreck

By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter

KINGSTON (WATE) -- On Wednesday, hundreds of Roane County High School students gathered to remember the school's star football player, who was killed in a wreck Tuesday night.

Outside the school, love and loss were evident in the faces of those mourning the death of James Sams III, 18.

"He was a really gifted athlete, but better than that he was a very special person," said football coach Vic King.

"He had a lot of friends. Everybody loved him," King said.

The crash happened on Highway 70 around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol says James was traveling eastbound when he crossed over the center line colliding head on with a Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Troopers say Sams wasn't under the influence of any drugs or alcohol, but he wasn't wearing a seat belt.

"It's so tragic to lose somebody so young," King said.

Although Sams was young, he'd already known hardship, recently losing his mother.

Those who knew him well say he was doing a good job moving on.

On his MySpace page, the senior writes about heading to Tusculum College. Coach King says several universities were in the process of scouting him.

For King, the loss is personal. He says he's seen James mature from a young kid to a young man who could've had much more life to live.

"I'll miss him. I'll miss him a lot," King said. Sams was captain and quarterback of the football team.

Click here for a Facebook memorial page for Sams. You don't have to have an account to view it.

The driver of the pickup truck, Brian Leach, was injured in the crash.