Tennessee Officers Killed In Helicopter Crash Identified: Police

A Marion County deputy and a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer were killed Tuesday in a helicopter crash near Interstate 24 in Marion County, Tennessee, according to police.

Sergeant Lee Russell of Tennessee Highway Patrol and Marion County detective Matt Blansett, who also served as a Marion County commissioner, were killed in the crash, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security confirmed to Patch.

The two officers were killed when the helicopter crashed in the woods on Aetna Mountain in the southeast part of the county, Captain Travis Plotzer, a spokesperson for Tennessee Highway Patrol, told reporters Tuesday night.

The Bell 206B was a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson confirmed to Patch. The helicopter struck a power line spanning the interstate, according to the spokesperson.

"Today is a very tragic day for law enforcement. We appreciate all your support and patience going forward with this," Plotzer said.

Russell was a member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation Division and was described as an "outstanding pilot" by Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Jeff Long.

"Both men were passionate about their jobs. This is a tremendous loss for the Tennessee law enforcement community," Long said. "We ask for prayers of comfort for the families, our department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department during this dark and difficult time."

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, both agencies confirmed.