Officials: Trooper not impaired at time of wreck

A Tennessee Highway Patrol officer who died in a November traffic accident was not impaired at the time of the wreck, officials say.
The final blood alcohol tests on deceased trooper Steven 'Steve' Chapman, 50, of Lebanon, who was assigned to Gov. Phil Bredesen's security detail, showed he was not intoxicated at the time of the two-car crash on Highway 109, Lebanon Police Chief Scott Bowen said.
Bowen said test results from the state medical examiner's office recently sent to Sgt. K.D. Smith, who investigated the crash, showed Chapman's blood level "was well below the legal limit."
"He was not impaired under state law," said Bowen, who indicated tests showed only a "minor" amount of alcohol in the victim's bloodstream at the time of the crash.
Authorities are still awaiting final test results on passenger Lin Dell Poulson, 39, of Nashville, who was also killed. Also seriously injured was the driver of the second vehicle involved in the crash, Raymond Woodson of Lebanon.
The Nov. 2 accident occurred on Highway 109 when a car driven by Chapman veered into oncoming traffic and struck Woodson's sport utility vehicle, officers said.
With alcohol a non-factor in the crash, Bowen indicated speed will likely be listed as one of the officials causes of the accident.
Senior Staff Writer Brooks Franklin can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 14 or by e-mail at brooks.franklin@lebanondemocrat.com.