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Kingsport Police Department
David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | Suspect Apprehended in Virginia Following Fatal Hit and Run Collision on Interstate 26 in Kingsport | ||
| DATE: | August 4, 2020 | ||
| CASE #: | 20-016542 | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
| On August 4, 2020 shortly after 12:00 Noon, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian on Interstate 26/U.S. 23 near the West Stone Drive interchange in Kingsport. Due to the serious nature of the incident, Crash Reconstructionists with the K.P.D. Traffic Unit were called to the scene to investigate. Their findings thus far are as follows:
A work crew was operating out of a white 2012 Ford F-550 truck owned by South East Mowing, LLC of Blountville. The F-550 was parked completely off the paved surface in the grass median on the westbound side of I-26/U.S 23. One member of the work crew was inside the F-550 as a passenger. Another member of the work crew, Stephen Colby Blackmon, was standing to the side of the F-550 adjacent to the roadway, but in the grass median completely off the pavement. Meanwhile, a white 2014 Ford F-150 pickup, driven and solely occupied by Christopher C. Muraski, was westbound on I-26/U.S 23. Muraski’s F-150 veered off the left side of the roadway, side-swiped the F-550, and then struck Mr. Blackmon who was ultimately killed by the impact. Mr. Muraski did not stop, but rather continued along U.S. 23 into the State of Virginia. Thanks to excellent communication by an eyewitness, the F-150 was located and stopped by the Weber City Police Department, and Mr. Muraski was arrested by that agency on independent but related charge(s). Specific inquiries regarding his arrest or his charge(s) in Virginia will be referred to the Weber City Police Department. The Kingsport Police Department would like to thank the witness and the Weber City Police Department for their invaluable assistance with Mr. Muraski’s apprehension. The investigation into this crash remains active and ongoing by the K.P.D. Traffic Unit with charges pending. As such, additional details neither can, nor will, be released at this time. |
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| COLLISION VEHICLE #1 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Ford | |
| Model | F-150 | |
| Year | 2014 | |
| Type | Full-Size Pickup | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Damaged but Drivable | |
| Driver/
Suspect |
Name | Christopher C. Muraski |
| Age | 41 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Male/White | |
| Residency | Knoxville, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| Injuries | Pending | |
| COLLISION VEHICLE #2 INFORMATION | ||
| Make | Ford | |
| Model | F-550 | |
| Year | 2012 | |
| Type | Full-Size Truck | |
| Color | White | |
| Damage | Damaged but Drivable | |
| Owner | South East Mowing, LLC
Blountville, TN |
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| Driver | Name | No Driver |
| Age | N/A | |
| Gender/Race | N/A | |
| Residency | N/A | |
| Injuries | N/A | |
| Passenger | Name | Tanda L. Wright |
| Age | 25 Years of Age | |
| Gender/Race | Female/White | |
| Residency | Kingsport, TN | |
| Injuries | No Injury | |
| PEDESTRIAN/VICTIM INFORMATION | |
| Name | Stephen Colby Blackmon |
| Age | 35 Years of Age |
| Gender/Race | Male/White |
| Residency | Johnson City, TN |
| Injuries | Fatal |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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