By HANA KIM
6 News Reporter
MARYVILLE (WATE) - One victim has died of his injuries after two-car wreck in Maryville on Saturday.
It happened just after noon on Sevierville Road near Destiny Lane. All nine passengers were injured and two were airlifted by LifeStar to UT Medical Center.
"I heard a crash and I looked out the window, saw smoke and steam coming up," said Tommy Helton.
Helton happens to live right across from the crash scene and rushed over to help.
"Several of them were beside the cars when I got there. They had gotten out, my wife called 911 and I did hold one woman's head," said Helton.
Tennessee Highway Patrol says a van was traveling Southbound on Highway 411 when it lost control, crossed the center line and ended up going up the embankment on the wrong side of the road. A sedan was traveling in the opposite direction with five people inside when it collided with the van instantly.
From the van, the driver, Kevin Self, 43 and passenger Nancy Holbert, 68, were treated for injuries at UT Medical Center and later released.
Walland couple Rex and Mary Self, were also in the van. Both were airlifted to the same hospital. Rex died of his injuries on Sunday. Mary is still listed in critical condition.
All of the people in the sedan were also injured. Oynetta Robinette, 30, of Phelts, Ky., was taken by ground to UT Medical Center along with passengers Latrisha Kinney, 35, of Talbott, Brenda Shortridge, 49, of Mt. Card, Ky., Edna Wolford, 66, of Bidwell, Ohio, and a minor.
Robinette, Wolford and the minor were treated and released. As of Sunday afternoon, Shortridge was still in stable condition at UT Medical Center and Kinney had been released.
Helton says he personally has never seen a crash this intense. Emergency crews worked fast to get all nine victims to the hospital.
Traffic eventually opened back up around 2 p.m. after a few hours of gridlock.
Blount County firefighters and police were also at the scene working the crash.
Responders are still on the scene of a two-car wreck on Sevierville Road near Destiny Lane.
Traffic is backed up on Sevierville Road as responders work to clear the accident.
