APRIL 8, 2015
PAINTSVILLE, KENTUCKY
One person was killed in a crash involving a coal truck in
Johnson County early Wednesday morning.
Firefighters say an SUV and coal truck collided along US-23,
about three miles north of Paintsville, around 3:15 a.m. The driver of the SUV
was declared dead at the scene.
"The SUV was southbound. The coal truck was northbound,
and the impact took place in the northbound lanes," said Brian Jeffiers,
W.R. Castle Fire and Rescue deputy Chief.
So, the SUV driver veered off to the northbound lanes, perhaps being
drunk or on drags at 3:00 am. We will
wait for the results of the autopsy.
Danny Rice died in the crash, according to the Johnson
County coroner.
Investigators are still determining if the morning's heavy
fog was a factor, but the lanes there are very wide and rather difficult to
veer off to the other lanes because you have to cross the median first.