Norton teen pinned underwater in wreck
JODI DEAL > Staff Writer
While city police were tight-lipped about identifying the juveniles involved in a wreck Saturday night, word travels fast in a tight-knit community like Norton.
The 17-year-old driver, Rickie Harris, is a well-known, well-liked student, an all-state football player entering his junior year at J.I. Burton High School, and the son of Norton School Board member Billie Ann Harris.
The young man remains in Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital while his passengers, Quentin Groves, 17, and Doug Hawkins, 13, were treated at Norton Community Hospital and have been released.
Wellmont Holston Valley could not release information on Harris' condition but his football coach said Monday the young man is in intensive care and his condition is still critical. Coach Jim Adams said the boy has already shown improvement since being admitted to the hospital.
"Yesterday, just about the whole student body turned out"? at Holston Valley to check on Harris, Adams said. "There were probably at least 100 people there while I was there, and that included adults, faculty, people from the community and other students. It wasn't just the football team, it was the entire community."?
According to Norton Police Sgt. James Lane, the 1983 El Camino was headed north on Dorchester Road at about 10:40 p.m. when it crossed the southbound lane and headed down an embankment near Humphrey's Enterprises.
On its way down, the vehicle flipped onto its roof. When the car finally stopped, it was upside-down and submerged in a creek, Lane said.
The passengers escaped from the car, but Harris was trapped by his seat belt, which the boys could not pry open.
Lane said a man, apparently a nearby resident, arrived on the scene and freed Harris by cutting through the seat belt with a knife.
All three boys were taken to Norton Community, but Harris was later transported to Kingsport. He had been submerged underwater. Police declined to comment on the extent of Harris' injuries or other details of the accident because the accident is still under investigation. Lane also would not identify the boys because they are juveniles, and privacy laws prevent police from releasing information about subjects under 18 years of age.
Adams also had little to say about exactly what happened Saturday night.
"As far as what happened, we've been far more concerned with Rickie's health,"? Adams said. "We're encouraging everyone to continue praying for him, because the next day or two will be critical."?
Adams noted that one thing he does know is that Norton rescue personnel responded quickly and professionally to the scene.
According to Lane, so many rescue vehicles were at the scene that the two-lane road was blocked for a time. Three to four Norton police vehicles responded, along with two Virginia State Police troopers, a deputy from the Wise County Sheriff's Department, the Norton Rescue Squad, two other paid ambulance services and the Norton Fire Department.
Lane noted that he is heading up the investigation into the accident. Any motorists or nearby residents who may have more information about what happened should call Lane at 679-1211.
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Before Monday's practice the J.I. Burton High School football team discussed Harris' accident and decided to dedicate the practice time to him.
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