An autopsy will be performed after a Jefferson man died in a Jan. 21 accident where his vehicle went off the road for unknown reasons, according to Knox County Sheriff Donna Dennison.
Chris LaFrance, 37, had been traveling east on Route 17 in Union in a 2005 Toyota Rav4 when, for reasons unknown, he lost control of the vehicle.
The vehicle veered off the road, clipped the end of a guard rail, and traveled approximately 300 feet before coming to rest among small trees and brush, according to a press release from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
A passenger in another vehicle noticed LaFrance’s vehicle down the embankment, and called in the accident, according to the release.
LaFrance was unresponsive when Deputy Matt Elwell arrived on scene, and medical personnel determined he was deceased when they arrived, according to the release.
“We don’t know exactly why this accident happened, we don’t know if it’s a health condition, we really don’t know yet,” Dennison said Jan. 22.
There were no indications alcohol was involved, she said.
“We’ll know further after the autopsy is done,” Dennison said.
LaFrance was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident, and the vehicle’s airbag did not deploy, Dennison said.
Union Fire and Ambulance and All Directions Recovery assisted at the scene.
