In the early morning hours of September 23, 2024, a confrontation on Roy Messer Highway in White Pine, Tennessee, tragically cut short the life of 20-year-old Jordan Isaiah Price. A resident of White Pine, Price was a young father to his son, Zayden, and was known for his love of family and his ability to make people laugh.
The fatal encounter began as a road rage incident near a traffic light south of the Interstate 81 intersection. Following a dispute, both Price and the other driver, 59-year-old Derwin Wilds of Newport, stopped their vehicles. An altercation ensued, during which Wilds shot Price once in the chest with a handgun. It was Wilds himself who dialed 911 at approximately 5:22 a.m. to report the shooting. Emergency services arrived to find Price lying on the ground next to his vehicle. He was rushed to a nearby medical center but succumbed to his injuries.
Wilds remained at the scene and was taken into custody. He was initially charged with voluntary manslaughter in connection with Price's death. The case proceeded through the legal system, and in August 2025, a Jefferson County grand jury indicted Wilds on charges including manslaughter.
However, the legal proceedings took a significant turn in May 2025. During a preliminary hearing, a judge ruled that Derwin Wilds had acted in self-defense. Consequently, the charges against him were dropped, and he was acquitted.
