Jones labels HVA players' accident result 'a miracle'
Three hospitalized but 'walk away'
n Alan Sloan asloan@farragutpress.com
A three-car accident Thursday evening in which six Hardin Valley Academy football players were victims — three sent to the hospital — turned into a huge sigh of relief: no fatalities or serious injuries.
“We did have an accident that involved six football players after practice. … It was an ugly scene but we’re very fortunate that every [team] member involved walked away from it. It’s truly a miracle,” said Wes Jones, HVA varsity football head coach who arrived on scene within a few minutes of the accident on Hardin Valley Road, near HVA, between 5:45 and 6 p.m., July 14.
“We went from the worst case scenario to absolutely the best case possible,” he added. “We’re very blessed by it. … You can’t imagine the relief.”
While stressing the accident was not the fault of the driving football players, “One vehicle was hit from behind and turned over into another car full of our kids,” Jones, who did not release the victims’ names, said. “The car that flipped had three of our boys in it.
“They were on the way home.”
Jones said the three teenagers taken to the hospital “were banged up pretty good.”
While emphasizing the players’ health as the most important consideration, however, Jones did add that all three “should be back” playing in time for the Hawks’ season-opening game Friday, Aug. 19.
The driver of the vehicle who Jones said caused the accident was not seriously injured, the coach added.
