September 8, 2012,  the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call at a residence on CR121 in the Big Flat Community.  The caller stated two men were changing a tire on a logging truck when the tire blew up injuring both men.

When Baxter County Deputy Corporal Eddie Elliott arrived, first responders from the Big Flat Fire Department and ambulance personnel from Vital Link were already on scene. One of the men involved, Jackie Ray Nash, age 31 of Big Flat was deceased and the second man, 58 year old Rick Freeman was being treated for injuries.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the two men were changing a tire on a logging truck at Freeman’s home. As the two men were putting the new tire on the truck, the tire/rim blew apart causing both men to be thrown backwards to the ground.  All indications are that Jackie Nash was killed upon impact.

Jackie Ray Nash was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Baxter County Coroner’s Office.  Rick Freeman was treated at the scene for non-life threatening injuries.

Sheriff John Montgomery