UPDATE 6/25 @ 7pm
BIRCH RIVER, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A West Virginia volunteer firefighter was killed in an accident involving a stolen car and an ATV Wednesday night in Nicholas County.

It happened at about 6:30 p.m. on Widen-Dille Road in Birch River.

According to a release from the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Department, Birch River Volunteer Fire Department Chief Robert Cottrill, 47, was killed while riding his UTV. He was 47 years old and a member of the department since 1981.

Witnesses said members of Cottrill’s department were the first emergency responders on the scene.

Sheriff Wetzel Bennett said Jerry Adkins allegedly stole a Dodge Durango from Braxton County before killing Cottrill. Adkins and his passenger, Christopher Summers, fled the scene into nearby woods.

“I walked into the woods a little bit,” said neighbor James Tyree. “Just to make sure they weren’t up there hiding, but they had moved out of the area.”

Tyree said the Cottrill was instantly killed. Tyree’s wife is a registered nurse and was among the first to respond to the accident.

“He didn’t have a heartbeat and was probably dead,” said Tyree.

Summers was arrested along Widen-Dille Road while attempting to hitch hike. Adkins turned himself into Braxton Sheriff’s Deputies Thursday morning. Adkins is facing charges of leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and stealing the car. Summers and Adkins are both facing charges of wounding the owner of the car.

The Sheriff’s Department said the ATV Cottrill was riding was not allowed on the road. Cottrill was also not wearing a helmet.

Firefighters did not want to talk on camera with WSAZ, but expressed their sadness over the accident. They also said Chief Cottrill was one of the nicest guys you ever knew.

Calls in Birch River are being handled by other firefighters in the county, operating out of the Birch River Fire Station.

Funeral arrangements for Chief Cottrill are still in the works.

It happened at about 6:30 p.m. on Corey Brown Hill in the Birch River area.

According to a release from the Birch River Volunteer Fire Department, Chief Robert Cottrill was killed in the accident. He was 47 years old and had been a member of the department since 1981.

Nicholas County Sheriff Wetzel Bennett tells WSAZ.com that a Durango and Cottrill's 4-wheeler hit head-on. That SUV was a stolen vehicle out of Braxton County.

The Sheriff says Jerry Shannon Adkins, from Birch River, was driving the SUV. Christopher Watson Summers, of Braxton County, was also in the vehicle. Both ran from the scene of the accident, but Summers was later picked up hitchhiking on Widen Dille Road.

The Sheriff tells WSAZ.com both Summers and Adkins will face charges in the fatal accident.

Bennett says the accident is still under investigation.

Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more information.

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