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Officer dies in a single-vehicle accident in Smyrna, funeral arrangements released

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SMYRNA, Tenn. (WTVF) — La Vergne Police say Officer Brandon Joyner has died after a single-vehicle accident.

Joyner was 46 years old and worked at the La Vergne Police Department for 6 years.

On Monday afternoon, police were investigating a single-vehicle accident. A NewsChannel 5 journalist confirmed a truck was found in the creek near Fitzhugh, by the airport and golf course, and one lane was closed off with water rescue on scene. Emergency management services worked with police to retrieve the vehicle.

"We are asking for prayers for the family of Officer Joyner as well as our police department and city as we begin to mourn. We also ask for privacy for Officer Joyner’s personal family and LPD family as we process and deal with this loss," police said.

No information has been released concerning the cause of death. Officer Joyner will be escorted from Murfreesboro to the City of La Vergne on Monday, Dec. 18, before his visitation and funeral at Grace Church on Stones River Road.

The procession will drive past City Hall, 5093 Murfreesboro Road, after 9:30 a.m. some time.

The family is asking for donations to be made to FOP Percy Priest Lodge #85 P.O. Box 921, La Vergne, TN, 37086 instead of flowers.

Remembering Eudora Boxley, a trailblazing TV cook from WLAC's early days

I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.

-Lelan Statom