01/22/2016 — According to Sheriff Ed Graybeal, in the early morning hours of December 11th, 2015 deputies of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a single vehicle crash in the 2100 Block of Carroll Creek Rd.

Deputies found that Ira Bales, 19, Johnson City, was driving a 2015 Hyundai Sonata when it ran off the roadway and struck a tree bursting into flames. A passenger, Tanner Wolfe, age 19, Johnson City, was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the crash.

Tanner Wolfe killed by Ira Bales in DUI inferno

According to Sheriff’ Ed Graybeal, the driver, Ira Bales, was transported from the scene to the hospital where he later provided a blood sample to investigators. The sample was submitted to the TBI for analysis.

Crash investigators presented the findings of this case to a Washington County Grand Jury where Bales was indicted on the charge of Vehicular Homicide. Following the indictment, Bales turned himself in at the Washington County Detention Center where he was held on a $25,000 bond.

He has since been released on bail and is scheduled for an appearance in the Washington County Criminal Court on March 21st, 2016.