Tennessee Troopers release report on head-on collision that killed Bradley County fire captain and another driver. High speed to blame

July 10th, 2015 by Paul Leach in Local Regional News Read Time: 1 min.

Capt. Wallace Varnell
Photo by Contributed Photo /Times Free Press. 

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Highway Patrol has released a preliminary report concerning a recent Bradley County head-on collision that claimed the lives of two Cleveland men, including Capt. Wallace Varnell, a 22-year veteran of Bradley County Fire and Rescue.

Varnell, 55, and Edward Brewer, 64, were killed upon impact on Georgetown Road, part of the State Route 60 corridor, near the intersection of Knighthood Trail, shortly after 8 p.m. on July 8.

Both drivers were wearing safety belts, said Trooper Phillip Reagan in his report at the scene of the accident.

Reagan stated the fatal accident occurred when Brewer, traveling north in a 2002 Ford Taurus at a high rate of speed, clipped the rear bumper of a 2007 Cadillac Escalade driven by Rachel S. Holder, 22, of Birchwood, as he attempted to pass her. Brewer then lost control of his vehicle and collided with Varnell, who was traveling south in a 2012 Ford pickup.

Brewer was not identified at the time of the initial report, "due to the extensive damage" to his vehicle, according to the incident narrative.

Holder, suffering from non-life-threatening injuries after her vehicle continued north and struck a telephone pole and fire hydrant, was transported to a local hospital.

On Thursday, Chief Troy Maney of Bradley County Fire and Rescue addressed the department's loss.

"He is pretty much irreplaceable," said Maney of Varnell, who commanded the county fire station on Lead Mine Valley Road. "He was an asset to his station, his district and the community. Bradley County's loss is great."

The crash investigation is ongoing, said Lt. Bill Miller, spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.