A motorcyclist was killed as the result of a wreck that closed U.S. Hwy. 33 in Tazewell for several hours Monday evening. According to a report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the New Tazewell Police Department was in pursuit of a Yamaha motorcycle traveling north on Hwy. 33 at an extremely high rate of speed when they terminated the pursuit because of the high rate of speed. The driver, Eric B. Hendrickson, 32, of New Tazewell, Tenn., continued north and struck the front of a 2006 Freightliner truck and flatbed trailer driven by David Earl Smith II, 35, of Harrogate, Tenn., that was stopped in the attempt to make a left turn from the southbound lanes of Hwy. 33. Smith, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not seriously injured. Hendrickson was wearing a helmet but was dead at the scene. The accident occurred at approximately 5:54 p.m. in front of First Century Bank. Because debris from the wreckage was scattered for several yards, traffic in both directions was detoured around the scene for several hours. Trooper Robert Brooks of the THP is the investigating officer. Others responding to the scene in addition to THP included the Tazewell Police Department, Claiborne County EMS, Claiborne County Rescue Squad and Tazewell-New Tazewell Fire Department. (MARISA ANDERS/Daily News)