Two law enforcment officers killed in Marion County helicopter crash

WHITESIDE, Tennessee (WDEF) – Officials have now confirmed that a Tennessee trooper and a Marion County Sheriff’s officer were killed in the helicopter crash this afternoon in the Whiteside community.

“Today is a very tragic day for law enforcement.”

They are not commenting yet on what the Tennessee Highway Patrol chopper was doing at the time of the crash.

But witnesses say it was flying low and collided with major power lines next to I-24 near Aetna Mountain and the Nickajack Lake.

The severed lines actually fell on the interstate.

WVLT-TV talked to a driver who barely missed getting hit by the lines.

Officials cleared the lines, but had a hard time finding the actual crash site.

The cleanup and search blocked I 24 for several hours during rush hour this afternoon.

Captain Travis Plotzer said the FAA and NTSB will handle the investigation into the crash.