One person was killed and three others, including two children, were seriously injured last weekend after an early-morning crash near the DeKalb/Putnam County line in Silver Point.

According to Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Chris Delong, on Saturday, June 21, at 2:32 am, a 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by 21-year-old Idan Alberto Estudillo Gutierrez was traveling south on Highway 56 North (Cookeville Highway), while a 2024 GMC Terrain, driven by 60-year-old Jama Martin, was traveling north.

While negotiating a curve, the Gutierrez vehicle crossed the double yellow line and struck the Martin vehicle, causing massive damage. The Mitsubishi ran off the right side of the roadway, against a guardrail, while the Terrain came to rest in the middle of the roadway.

The DeKalb County Fire Department, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and the THP responded to the scene. When sheriff deputies arrived, they found one of the vehicles on fire with fire coming from the engine compartment, the driver still inside the vehicle, and one occupant outside the vehicle.

Deputies deployed fire extinguishers and contained the fire until firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. Deputies also reported the sole occupant of the other vehicle was severely trapped and pinned inside the vehicle.

DeKalb Fire’s extrication unit and personnel arrived at the scene, requested mutual aid assistance from Putnam County Rescue, and began operations to extricate the driver. He was later reported deceased at the hospital.

Martin and two juveniles, a 10-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy, were also seriously injured in the Terrain and were transported to Cookeville Regional Hospital by DeKalb EMS.

According to the THP report, neither driver was wearing a seatbelt.