The White County Sheriff’s Department this afternoon released their report of a vehicle crash at the Peacock Gas Station in Sparta this past weekend.

It states at approximately 5:20 p.m. Saturday (July 3, 2021), deputies were dispatched to a stolen vehicle call on the 9000 block of Crossville Highway.

As deputies were on their way to the call, a truck matching the stolen vehicle’s description driven by 40-year-old Jason Dee Byrd of Miamisburg, Ohio went by them. Byrd was traveling westbound at an exceedingly high rate of speed and illegally passing traffic.

The deputies turned around to investigate.

As officers continued traveling westbound, they witnessed an explosion from the vicinity of Peacock gas station on Bockman Way.

Upon arrival, deputies observed that the truck crashed into gas pumps and a parked car, causing an explosion and fire hazard.

Byrd lost control and went through a gas canopy support beam and struck several pumps. The truck came to rest after colliding with a 2014 Toyota sedan operated by 19-year-old Ronald Martin of Crossville parked under the canopy resulting in a fire. The impact hurled one of the pumps across the parking lot and hit an unoccupied 2000 Dodge minivan catching it ablaze. The crash also caused damage to the store.

Injuries were noted to Byrd, Martin and two passengers in Martin’s vehicle (a 19 and 11-year-old).

Byrd was released from Vanderbilt Medical Center and processed into the White County jail late last night.

The White County Sheriff’s Office is working with District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway on this case which continues an active investigation.

Byrd is charged with aggravated assault, felony vandalism and theft of property. He is being held in the White County jail in Sparta under a total initial bond of $260,000. Byrd is scheduled to make his first court appearance July 13, 2021.