Lafayette, TN – Macon County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Sergeant William Cherry died in the line of duty in a head-on collision on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred on Highway 10 North at approximately 12:30 a.m. on July 29, WSMV reported.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), Sgt. Cherry was driving down the roadway when a 24-year-old man behind the wheel of a 2013 Ford F150 crossed over the center line and slammed into his vehicle head-on, WTVF reported.

The driver of the pickup truck, Devin Slayton, was flown to a local hospital with unknown injuries.

His condition has not been released.

Sgt. Cherry, 55, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, MCSO Chief Deputy Kyle Petty told WSMV.

“Today is a tragic day for the Macon County Sheriff’s Office and the family of Sgt. William Cherry,” the MCSO said in a Facebook post. “Sgt. Cherry was killed in the line of duty last night in a motor vehicle accident.”

The MCSO said Sgt. Cherry “served the citizens of Macon County with honor and dignity.”

“The family and the Sheriff’s Office need all of your prayers and support,” the sheriff’s office added. “Sgt. Cherry will be greatly missed by the Sheriff’s Office and the citizens he served.”

Sgt. Cherry devoted more than a decade of his life to his law enforcement career, Chief Deputy Petty told WSMV.

He served the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Red Boiling Springs Police Department, and the Celina County Sheriff’s Office prior to joining the MCSO several years ago, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Sgt. Cherry leaves behind his wife, Aleatheia, as well as his children, T.J., Alivia, and Faith, and his grandchildren, Conner, Ryder, Skyler, and Aubree, according to his obituary.

He is also survived by his parents and his in-laws.

Sgt. Cherry will be laid to rest on Aug. 2.

Our sincerest condolences go out to the Macon County Sheriff's Office, TN and the family of Sgt. William Cherry. We pray for peace and comfort in the trying days to come.
We’ll take it from here brother, rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/qmC7WOjObn

— Oak Ridge Police (@OakRidgePolice) July 30, 2023

🔹 Blessed Are The Peacemakers 🔹

Sergeant William Cherry

Macon County Sheriff's Office, Tennessee

EOW: Saturday, July 29, 2023#EnoughIsEnough #OfficerDown #EOW #ThinBlueLine pic.twitter.com/CqHbBWLXOM

— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) July 30, 2023

RIP. Tennessee Sergeant William Cherry was killed when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line and struck his unit head-on. #rip #hero #SergeantWilliamCherry #MaconCountySheriffsOffice #thinblueline #bluelivesmatter #backtheblue #police #protectingtheblue #becarefuloutthere pic.twitter.com/F95cdiJkDP

— Protecting the Blue (@protectingblue) July 30, 2023

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Macon County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant William Cherry, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.

Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.