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Family mourns the loss of teen killed in Maynardville Pike crash
by: Jordan Brown
Updated: Jul 2, 2021 / 04:31 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knox County family is mourning the loss of a teen who was killed in a car crash in North Knox County on June 27.
Eighteen-year-old Jaelyn Collins was killed while riding in the car with a friend down Maynardville Pike. The Tennessee Highway Patrol says 39-year-old Roger Barnhart was driving on Maynardville Pike as well, when he left his lane and hit the car Jaelyn was in head-on.
Jaelyn was killed and her friend, who was driving, was injured. Barnhart is now being charged with Vehicular Homicide.
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"She was a beautiful shining light in the world. She loved everybody and everybody loved her. She was our baby," said Tami Oliver, Jaelyn's mother.
Now pictures are all this family has after her life was cut short.
"She's my little sidekick, we've been best friends since she was born. I mean I'm her mother, but we were very close and I can't imagine going on without her," Oliver said.
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Jaelyn leaves behind her mother, stepfather, brother and sister, nieces and nephews and other extended family and friends.
The family is asking for donations from the community and prayers to get through this time. They've set up a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses. Trinity Funeral Home is also taking donations for the family.
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