8-year-old girl dies in Savannah UTV accident
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SAVANNAH, Tenn. — A West Tennessee community grieves the loss of a child killed in a UTV accident Monday night. Hardin County Fire Chief Melvin Martin said the 8-year-old was riding with her 7-year-old cousin when the vehicle flipped. “I pray for them every day, and my heart goes out to them,” neighbor Stephanie Casteel said. “I just, I feel so sorry for them.” Neighbors are in shock after what happened Monday night in their neighborhood on County Home Road. Anna Morris, 8, was riding in a utility terrain vehicle with her 7-year-old cousin when Hardin County officials said the vehicle rolled over, possibly after they hit a hole. “I was sitting eating supper and I heard all the sirens, so I walk over there and I saw the wreck,” neighbor Johnny Copeland said. Martin said the two children weren’t wearing seat belts or helmets. Casteel said her 17-year-old son and his friend were outside just before 6 Monday night when the crash happened. “They were cutting up and laughing and carrying on like they normally do, and just all of a sudden they heard them crash and they were just screaming frantically,” Casteel said. She said her son jumped their back fence to try and help. “It’s horrible — you’ll never forget the screams,” Casteel said. “I mean, it’s friends that you grew up with that still live around here and it’s their children. I mean, you’ll never forget that.” Other neighbors who didn’t want to go on camera say this is a tragedy they’ll never forget. “Any time you hear a kid like that, you know, getting hurt or getting killed, it’s real bad,” Copeland said. Chief Martin said the 7-year-old cousin was airlifted to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He’s now recovering at home.
