April Dawn Stillwell, 17, killed; Shane Swiney, 22, injured in ATV crash near Barb Hollow Road in Walland, Tennessee

Modified Date: 
Thu, 12/03/2020 - 6:15am
Accident Date: 
Monday, June 1, 2015

Walland teen killed, Maryville man injured in ATV accident

“She knew everything about me and I knew everything about her. We were together like everyday pretty much. When I moved it was hard for the both of us. I knew all her secrets and she knew all mine,” best friend Ashlei Phelps said.

BCSO identifies teen killed in ATV crash

Marion O'Briant, Blount County Sheriff's Office PIO, said a man was also injured in the crash on Barb Hallow Road in Walland.

  Shane Swiney was driving the ATV Monday night when he missed a left curve on a private trail off Barb Hollow Road and went airborne, striking several trees before the ATV landed at the bottom of a hill. Swiney and his passenger, April Dawn Stillwell, were thrown from the ATV. Stillwell died at the scene, while Swiney was taken to an area hospital by Rural/Metro with non-life-threatening injuries. Neither rider was wearing a helmet.  

People Involved: 
April Dawn Stillwell
Shane Swiney

Comments

Shane was driving wreckless and speeding and he knew he had no brakes and pot was found in his system he had no prmisson to have her on the atv

The night that shane put april on his atv her parents did not know he was gonna take her riding she for some reason trusted him. But he knew he had no brakes when he took her intofthe trails.he was going way to fast. He was driving reckless. He said the gears were striped out and would not slow the atv. But when the atv was found it was in fourth gear and the transmission worked fine people that knew him say he jumped off the atv and left april by herself and thc was found in his system first test and when it needed to be checked again it the sample was gone. She was 17 and he was 22 why were no charges in this horrible ordeal one stupid ride took aprils life and destroyed so many peoples lives. The atv was designed for driver only no passengers the report stated 3 tires were flat there was not enough air pressure in the tires to ride safely to began with he should have never had her on the atv. Why did he get by with this.

Its been six years since shane swiney came and picked up my daughter april stillwell in a pickup truck they ended up on a peice of junk atv that took my daughters life and destroyed my life i cry everyday since that painful terrible heart taking night she was the key to my world. Nothing will e ver be the same. Maybe someday he will cry everyday

So sorry that your daughter is gone. It breaks my heart to know how much your family is hurting and how much you miss your precious April. I pray that the peace of God will rest upon your family.

Thank you for your words of kindness its a shame a persons child goes before them at such a young age

Careless driving showing off going way to fast knowing he had no brakes shane swiney was not a safe rider and yet he put april on that death trap anyway and bailing off and leaving her helpless on the atv and yet after the wreck it wouldnt no time at all he was out showing off on 4 wheelers again and running up and down the road in front of her parents house i got to ask why did he get by with no charges at all it is not right she was still a minor at 17 he was an adult at 22 he had no permission to have her on the atv how did he get by with this ????

How did shane get by with hardly no enjuries and april had horrific injuries shane jumped off and left her tangled up in the atv he told the investagators they both were thrown from the atv he lied just like he told so. many lies about the accident. He never told me he was sorry nor did he tell her mother he was sorry he never ask us to forgive him if he had any remorse i never knew it he said the district attorney told him not to worry about it. It was just a freak accident. It was a tradgiety that took a beautiful young ladies life a future mother. My future grand children. A brave strong and kind and very caring young lady. One who was a true friend to the ones she loved. To them it was a freak accident. But to me it was much more than that april is not here to tell her side of the story. And he told so many differnt stories he cant keep up with what he told. No justice!!!

He knew her parents did not give her permission to be on his four wheeler, the report from Honda stated that four wheeler was not in riding condition for anyone!!! He lied to cover his butt... he told me my niece begged him to take her to dance in the rain...I know she she would have never said anything like that...ive seen all the reports and what told me is not the same! He wasn't charged for anything. Yet he was a grown man, no helmet, the four wheeler was labeled one person only, it was on the roadway, speeding , on private property without permission...and the blood test was lost???? How was any of this justice??? She was a cjild!!! Im hoping Karma don't let me down.

I wont give up until the truth is told. Shane told so many lies about that horrible night aprils family has let it go. But i wll not i loved my daughter with all my heart her death could have been prevented if shane would have been thinking of her safety he was careless and stupid april paid with her life. He needs to pay for his carelessnes. Shes gone thanks to him and hes living the good life its not fair.

I know people forget after a while and go on with their lives but i will never forget. I stoped living when april did she was a beautiful person with hopes and dreams just like any other teenager. Didnt bother anybody she was no trouble maker she just wanted to live her life i love you forever my sweet april

Maybe some day shane will tell the truth if his guilt ever gets to him we pray for closesure and peace only god shane and april knows what really happend that night we pray for the familys peace. April was a very great person. This family has sufferd so much.

Did shane keep april on the 4wheeler she really wanted to get off of it did she see he was angry at her did he drive like an idot because he was mad at her was she scared and he knew it come. On somebody tell what really happend i saw his text to a friend of mine he was lieing and tryin to cover up the real stoy please somebody. Truth!!!

I see you are having fun riding your new 4 wheeler in which you call the beast in the trails that is called the play grounds where april and her friends use to ride li see it dont bother you bit the place where you killed april on your piece f junk atv and your still going back there showing your but have you no morals at all i also see your going to wind rock park where april and i visited a lot you are a damger o n a atv if i were to kill a young beutiful lady like april or anybody on an atv out of stupitity i would never ride again. You have no consciece

The district attorney of blount county tracy jenkins told me and aprils mother april was close to 18 years old was one of the reasons they would not press charges against shane even though he was 22 years old she said if april had been 13 or 14 it would be differnt april was still a minor. We told her shane lied and we did not know that he was taking her riding on the atv we told her we got uneasy about her being with him when he came and picked her up in a pick up truck and we went to his house looking for them his mom said she hadnt seen them his truck was sittin on the drive way tracy jenkins had the report on the 4 wheeler from alcoa good times it the brakes were not functinal and the accident did not cause the damage to the brakes the reason was wear and no maintenice the brake systemhad to be beat and forced to get it apart it could not be put back together it stated it was poorly maintained it should not have been ridin to began with. 45 thc was found in his system she knew he lied about the accident still no charges!!!!!! When shane called me when the accident happend he how bad it was. I broke down and told i told him if my daughter had passed away i was going to get him a fathers reaction any parent would be all to pieces and he lied to he and shes ok shes breathing now he lied and gave me false hope what a terrible ordeal i hope no other parent has to go through this and those that have i know the pain they live in every day i do know how it feels to lose your child in such a horrible senseless way

Hello from DC,

This story really moved me to hear of how this tragedy occured and then to learn of the aftermath from the comments below I think its plain that justice has been denied on this young girl and her family at so many levels.

 Now ive heard stories of judicial corruption/incompetence around, but this just boggles the mind how no one was charged in this slam dunk case.

That fool should stop antangonizing his victims. We deal with  such people all the time up here. He would not dare brag and race around after killing  a young girl like that over here

Thank you east coaster i will never stop telling her story mabe some day justice will prevail. The truth needs to be told

Unbelievable injustice was done for your your daughter's death. I'm so sorry for your loss and I can't fathom the pain you will have to live with for the rest of your lives. At a bare minimum he should have been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving causing death.

Yes itwas injustice and unfair its such a hard thing to live with knowing what he did and got by with it maybe someday he will face the truth!!! Such injustice in tn. Thank you all for your comments.

Another christmas without my daughter hurts so terribley bad words can not descrieb the pain my daughter enjoyed christmas so much. She made the holidays very special for me and so many others. I love you forever april. Daddys little girl

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