LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – La Follette Police Officer Jesse Ferguson was recently on patrol when he saw a silver Chevrolet Equinox SUV had crashed into a power pole on Sun., Nov. 19. At 6:30am, the SUV was parked in the grass, facing eastbound on the westbound side of the four-lane with the airbags deployed.

Ferguson turned on his emergency lights and approached the vehicle at 923 East Central Avenue, in front of the hospital. As the officer approached the driver of the vehicle, Brittany O’Dell exited the Chevy and approached Officer Ferguson. According to a report from the La Follette Police Department, O’Dell claimed that her mother had been driving the SUV and had left her behind with the vehicle to go visit someone in the hospital. O’Dell added that she had been waiting for her mother for about 20 minutes.

To verify the story, LPD Officer Austin Tindell went to the hospital and spoke with the staff who reported O’Dell’s mother was not in the emergency room, but her stepfather was admitted and present there. Tindell spoke to the stepfather, who stated he was unaware of O’Dell driving his vehicle, that she did not have permission to do so, and that she was not allowed to be on his property.

O’Dell allegedly admitted she did not have a driver’s license, was driving the vehicle, and did not know how the accident happened. A check of her license revealed it was suspended.

O’Dell, 34, 449 Old Middlesboro Hwy, LaFollette was charged with immediate notice of an accident, driving on revoked/suspended, theft of property $1,000-$2,499 and other. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/04/2023-6AM)

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