Highway 9 North near Blackwells Crossroads was completely shut down for more than two hours 

Monday night as emergency crews worked a single vehicle accident.

A motorist flagged down Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jeremy Stepps, who just 

happened to be traveling through the area  at that time - and informed him that an accident 

had occurred.

The vehicle, a 2006 Nissan left the roadway near Blackwell’s Crossroads and traveled down a small 

embankment, flipping over onto its top and landing in the lake. At that point Deputy Stepps, 

Deputy Tyler Perea, Reserve Deputy Hunter Brisendine Centre Police Officer Daniel Wooten, 

Cedar Bluff Officer Chris Vaughn and a Gaylesville Firefighter all went into the frigid water, 

flipped the vehicle upright and then pulled the driver to the shoulder of the road, 

where they began CPR until Cherokee EMS Medics arrived.

The driver, 23 year old Kayla Silver of Leesburg, was taken to Cherokee Medical Center and then 

airlifted to an area trauma center.

Rescue personnel spent well over an hour searching the waters for other potential victims, 

however it was determined that no one else was in the vehicle at the time the accident took place.

According to the accident report, that wreck occurred at 9:05 PM - Alabama time.