A 21-year-old Tennessee man is facing multiple serious charges after a pickup truck he was driving allegedly crossed into the opposite lane and struck a pregnant woman’s SUV head-on, killing her and her unborn baby. The deadly collision happened Sunday afternoon, November 8, on Jones Cove Road in Sevier County.
Authorities identified the driver as Kaden S. Johnson, 21, of Newport. According to court documents, Johnson was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Silverado when he allegedly crossed the center line and collided with a Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by 37-year-old Rebecca E. Owens.
The crash was reported at approximately 4:20 p.m. Owens was 37 weeks pregnant at the time. She and her unborn baby were taken to LeConte Medical Center, where both were pronounced dead.
The investigation took a more serious turn when troopers questioned Johnson about what happened. According to court documents, he allegedly could not remember why his pickup had crossed into the opposite lane of traffic. Investigators also said they detected the smell of alcohol on his breath.
Troopers administered field sobriety tests, and Johnson reportedly failed multiple tests. These findings became part of the evidence surrounding the collision and the charges brought against him.
Johnson was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, first-offense driving under the influence and failure to maintain his lane. The two vehicular homicide counts reflect the deaths of Owens and her unborn baby.
He remained in custody on a $200,000 bond as the case moved forward. Authorities had not released additional details about the crash beyond the information contained in the court documents and the initial investigation.
While Johnson now faces the legal consequences of the allegations, Owens’ family is dealing with a loss that cannot be measured in court proceedings. She was 37 years old and only weeks away from giving birth. Her family had every reason to expect a new arrival, but the crash took away that future.
The tragedy has left two lives lost and a family facing the pain of losing a mother and the baby she was preparing to welcome. What happened on Jones Cove Road is now the subject of a criminal investigation, but for those who loved Rebecca, the loss is already permanent.