Asheville man killed in head-on collision

By Lynn Hotaling

James Marc Thompson, 29, was traveling west in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 23-74 at the time of the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:40 p.m., said Trooper Denny Wood of the N.C. Highway Patrol. The collision occurred at 10:17 p.m., Wood said.

Thompson, who was not wearing a seat belt, was pinned in his vehicle, a 1992 Jeep Cherokee, Wood said. Jackson County Rescue Squad members worked for some 35 minutes to extract Thompson from the Jeep.

Thompson was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, Wood said.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Vell Thomas Chappell, 65, of Clarkesville, Ga., was treated at Harris Regional Hospital and released. Chappell, who was traveling east in a 1995 Peterbilt truck, did all he could to avoid the accident, Wood said.

"When (Chappell) first saw the Jeep traveling about 60-65 miles per hour, all he saw was headlights," Wood said. "He went into the left lane - he was only traveling 15 miles per hour - the Jeep followed him. (Chappell) did everything he possibly could to avoid the accident."

Troopers were alerted at 10:12 p.m. Friday that a green Jeep Cherokee had been seen traveling west in the eastbound lanes of 23-74 just past the Hazelwood exit, Wood said. Three Highway Patrol cars from Haywood County left in pursuit, and three from Jackson County started east to try and intercept the vehicle, Wood said.

At one point Thompson's vehicle crossed over into the westbound lanes, Wood said, but quickly returned to the eastbound lanes. Thompson's Cherokee traveled the wrong way from Barber's Orchard all the way into Jackson County, Wood said. After crossing the Haywood/Jackson county line at Balsam Gap, Thompson's vehicle veered into the left eastbound lane and struck the tractor-trailer head-on, Wood said.

Trooper Wood commended the Jackson County Rescue Squad and the Balsam Fire Department for their professionalism and expertise while on the scene.

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