Police officer and handcuffed detainee both dead after crash into Tennessee River

A police officer who crashed his vehicle into the Tennessee River not only caused his own death but also the death of a woman who was handcuffed in his car at the time.

Both Meigs County Deputy Robert 'RJ' Leonard and Tabitha Smith died after the patrol car crashed into the river and was submerged.

Smith was still handcuffed to the patrol car when her body was recovered, which would have made it impossible to escape the submerged car.

Leonard, who had only been on the job for two months, seems to have misjudged the bridge's clearance and caused the accident.

He was responding to a domestic incident on the bridge involving Smith before the crash and was transporting her to the Miegs County jail when it occurred.

Leonard tried to call the sheriff's office and texted his wife after the car ran off the bridge, but only the word "water" could be understood.