A two-vehicle crash on I-75 early Tuesday morning has claimed the life of a Corbin man. The Laurel County Coroner’s Office pronounced William Darnell, 30, deceased at the scene.
In addition, an Ohio truck driver involved in the crash has been charged with driving while under the influence, according to a Laurel County Sheriff’s Office release and a court document.
The crashed happened about 2:57 a.m. on I-75 in the southbound lane of I-75 near mile marker 46 about five miles north of London.
Sheriff’s investigators report that apparently a tractor-trailer was southbound on I-75 in the middle lane when it was struck in the rear trailer by a Nissan Altima, which was driven by Darnell. He was the only occupant in the vehicle, according to the release.
The driver of the tractor trailer, Steven Patrick Jones, 54, of Xenia, Ohio, allegedly told police he was traveling in the right hand lane going 55 to 60 mph when his vehicle was struck from behind by a sedan traveling at a high rate of speed, Deputy Matt Walker wrote on Jones’ arrest citation for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a substance.
During the investigation, Walker and Laurel Sheriff’s Accident Reconstructionist/Detective Brad Mink, who is investigating the accident, requested consent from Jones for a blood test, according to the arrest citation.
Jones allegedly “expressed concern that the results might reveal the presence of substances in his system and later admitted to having used cocaine within the 24 hours preceding the collision,” Walker wrote on the arrest citation.
Walker conducted field sobriety tests. Jones told police he could not do one test due to prior back problems, according to the arrest citation, which indicated drug involvement was suspected.
Jones was taken to St. Joseph Hospital London for treatment of possible injuries and execution of a search warrant for blood testing. Afterwards, he was transported to the Laurel County Correctional Center without incident.
He was booked into the Laurel County Correctional Center at 7:14 a.m., and his bond was set at $2,500 cash, according to the correctional center’s website.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Laurel District Court before Judge John Paul Chappell.
Additional charges are possible, according to the release.
Mink conducted the investigation into the crash, which had the southbound lanes of I-75 closed for about three hours.
Other sheriff’s personnel assisting at the scene included: Walker, Detective Sgt. Taylor McDaniel, shift Sgt. Robert Reed, shift Sgt. Travis Napier, and Deputy Cyruss McVey. Other agencies assisting included: London – Laurel County 911 Communication Center, London – Laurel County Rescue Squad, Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County, Laurel County Coroner’s Office, East Bernstadt Fire and Rescue, Laurel County Fire Department, Laurel County Department of Public Safety, Kentucky Highway Department, Mount Vernon Fire Department, Eco-Tech, and Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jones remained incarcerated in the Laurel County Correctional Center.
