Marion Deputy Involved in Fatal Accident

A Marion County Sheriff's Deputy is on a leave of absence after a fatal accident Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities tell us that an off duty Marion County Deputy was helping some friends move when one woman fell out of his truck and died.

An ambulance races down the same road where Molly Nelson died hours earlier. Authorities say off duty Marion Co. Deputy Matt Blansett was helping Nelson, and some friends, move furniture down Betsy Pack Road. Sheriff Bo Burnett tells us Nelson was in the bed of Blansett's truck with a mattress and box spring.

"Officer Blansett was going extremely slow, they think maybe a gust of wind pulled these mattress forward and threw Ms. Nelson out, she did sustain serious injuries to her head," Sheriff Burnett says.

Witnesses tell us that after us that after the accident the mattress was lying in the middle of the road and that Nelson's body had been thrown down into a ditch on the side of the road.

"I went into the din to look out and all I saw was cop cars and fire trucks," Annie Mae Hughes says.

Annie Mae Hughes lives in the house directly in front of where the accident occurred.

"I thought someone had run off in the ditch at first is what i thought because they had torn my mailbox off not to long ago," Hughes says.

But Hughes later found out about the fatal accident that Sheriff Burnett says will affect a number of people throughout the county, most of all his third shift Deputy.

"Well he's already if if I hadn't done this, and I don't him you can if yourself to death, these things happen and it's a tragic accident," Burnett says.

The lead investigator tells us that neither alcohol or speed were involved in the crash and tells us that criminal charges are not expected. And Sheriff Burnett tells us that Blansett will not be suspended but will be taking some personal time off so that he can deal with the tragedy.