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Rescue squad frees woman pinned for hours under car

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KNOXVILLE — Emergency responders freed a 69-year-old woman Tuesday who spent eight hours pinned under a car at her Chapman Highway home, officials said.

Bessie McCormick, whose condition was not immediately available, was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

According to a Knox County Sheriff’s Office news release, Deputy James Schirnglone went to 8710 Chapman Highway at 2:20 p.m., to do a welfare check on McCormick and heard a faint voice asking for help.

The deputy found McCormick with her left leg pinned under the driver’s side rear tire of her 2007 PT Cruiser.

Schirnglone called for the Knoxville Volunteer Emergency Rescue Squad. Within minutes of arriving, rescuers freed McCormick.

Officials said it appears McCormick had been trapped from about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday until she was rescued shortly after 2:30 p.m.

McCormick is a healthcare giver and her daughter, who lives in Texas, became concerned and called authorities when her mother did not show up for work and did not return phone calls, according to the KCSO.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday’s News Sentinel.