Flippo Charged In Death Of East Ridge Girl

  • Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Jonathan L. Flippo, 18, of Rossville has been charged in the June 23 wreck in Nashville in which a young East Ridge girl was killed.

Flippo also was arrested in Chattanooga for vandalism, malicious mischief and evading arrest over the weekend.

Flippo is facing additional charges in Nashville in connection with a traffic accident on June 23 that resulted in the death of a 13-year-old East Ridge girl.

The Nashville charges are leaving the scene of an accident involving death, failure to report an accident, driving without a license, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Nashville Police said he fled the scene after his Dodge Stratus ran into a tractor that was mowing on the side of Lebanon Pike.

Jessica Burkhart, 13, an East Ridge Middle School student, was killed.
She was seated in the left rear seat. Two other passengers, Nicholas Scarbrough, 18, and Tonya Jones, 17, were also injured.

The driver of the tractor was not injured.

Flippo has claimed that a blue Nissan cut him off and made him wreck.

Nashville Police said alcohol may have been a factor in the 2:25 p.m. wreck.

They said Flippo went into a nearby apartment complex, but was apprehended a short time later.

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