An American flag flew over the newly-completed Big Springs Road bridge Monday morning, May 13 as officials gathered to consecrate the structure in memory of fallen Blount County Sheriff’s Deputy Greg McCowan. The bridge, which is a few thousand feet from West Lamar Alexander Parkway, is the first completed memorial to the fallen deputy in Blount County.
Speakers Monday morning included Blount County Sheriff James Berrong and US Sen. Marsha Blackburn.
The memorial is the latest episode in a monthslong saga for local law enforcement that began when McCowan, a four-year member of the sheriff’s office, was gunned down during a traffic stop on Sevierville Road in February. Deputies have since charged suspect Kenneth Wayne DeHart Jr., 42, Alcoa, with murdering McCowan and assaulting fellow Deputy Shelby Eggers, who was shot in the leg and returned fire at the scene.
DeHart is currently awaiting trial on a 21-count indictment in Blount County Circuit Court. His list of charges ranges from first-degree murder to failure to maintain a lane.
The Deputy Greg McCowan Memorial Bridge comes from coordination between Berrong’s office and the Blount County Highway Department. In a phone interview days before the dedication, Blount County Highway Superintendant Jeff Headrick said he wanted to do something for McCowan’s memory. The old bridge, which had been closed for about a year, was almost 100 years old and needed to be replaced.
He described the new structure, which features, arches, a county seal and colorful signs, as “the latest and greatest” of bridge designs.
On Monday, McCowan’s daughter, Cayley McCowan, thanked the community for their dedication to her father’s memory. Standing alongside Eggers, she said her father had always dreamed of being a deputy.
“He was the kind of man to give a helping hand to anybody who needed it,” she said. “He would have anybody’s back without hesitation and was a true hero at heart.”
Blackburn said Berrong invited her to the dedication when he heard she would be in East Tennessee. She praised McCowan’s vigor and compassion, saying she had read about his time with BCSO and was grateful for his sacrifice.
“He didn’t have to be asked. He chose to do this,” she told the audience. “That is something so significant that will be a big part of the legacy he will be remembered with and for.”
Berrong, who described the last few months as “an emotional rollercoaster,” stood alongside the rest of McCowan’s shift as dignitaries gathered to cut the ribbon Monday. He thanked the community for the outpouring of support shown by citizens. The bridge, he said, will stand the test of time as a memorial to the sacrifice and memory of his deputy.
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