Rutherford Man Indicted For Leaving Scene Of Fatal Accident

A Rutherford County man has been arrested on an indictment handed down Sept. 25 by the Cannon County Grand Jury on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

Phillip Shaffer, 507 Decherd Lane, Smyrna, was also indicted on a charge of driving while his license was revoked.

The indictment stems from an incident involving the death the Brett Richard Kortright, 26, of Woodbury, who died from injuries sustained in an accident on Burt-Burgen Road on January 23 of this year.

According to Tennessee Highway Patrol reports, Kortright was traveling toward John Bragg Highway on Burt-Bergen Road when he ran off the road and was ejected from his vehicle, landing in the roadway.

Shaffer, who was traveling on the road in the same direction behind Kortright, allegedly ran over the victim. Shaffer left the scene of the accident and then contacted authorities the next day.

An autopsy was unable to determine whether Kortright died from injuries sustained from the initial accident, or from being struck by Shaffer's vehicle. Alcohol may have played a role in Kortright's accident, according to the THP.

Shaffer's license was revoked at the time of the incident for a DUI offense.

According to Trooper Donnie Clark of the THP, who investigated the accident, Shaffer contacted authorities the following day and indicated he might have hit someone the night before. However, due to the length of time following the accident, authorities were unable to obtain a useful blood alcohol test from him.

Shaffer is scheduled to be arraigned in Cannon County Criminal Court later this month.