A Williamsburg man, who has previous convictions for driving while under the influence, is suspected of driving while under the influence of drugs Friday morning when he struck another vehicle head-on, according to the Williamsburg Police Department.
Two people had to be flown out by emergency medical helicopters following the crash, and were still hospitalized as of Tuesday afternoon.
“It was a very, very significant head-on impact. Both of them were entrapped pretty badly in their vehicles,” said Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird. “It was probably one of the hardest head-on collisions that I have seen in a while.”
The accident happened shortly before 10 a.m. on US25 in front of the Budget Inn.
David Bennett was driving a Chevrolet Trailblazer north on US25 when he struck a southbound Chevy S-10 pick-up truck, which was driven by Randy Hurst of Williamsburg.
“According to witnesses and evidence at the scene, it appears that Bennett crossed into the southbound lane and struck Hurst head-on,” Bird said. “Both individuals were entrapped in their vehicles and were extricated by the Williamsburg Fire Department. Bennett is suspected of being under the influence of a controlled substance just based on what we observed at the scene.”
Bennett has two prior DUI convictions and his license is suspended for driving while under the influence, Bird said.
“We’ve already spoken to the Commonwealth’s Attorney. We will just wait on the toxicology results that will determine what charges we bring,” Bird noted.
Whitley County EMS treated both victims at the scene.
An emergency landing zone was set up in the parking lot of the Kentucky Splash waterpark where Air Evac. Lifeteam and Air Methods emergency medical helicopters landed shortly before 10:30 a.m.
Air Evac. transported Bennett to the University of Tennessee Medical Center with possible internal injuries.
Bennett was listed in stable condition Tuesday afternoon, according to a U.T. hospital spokesperson.
Air Methods flew Hurst to the University of Kentucky Medical Center with a broken femur and possibly other injuries.
Hurst was listed in serious condition Tuesday afternoon, according to a U.K. hospital spokesperson.
Both vehicles were totaled in the crash.
Williamsburg Police Detective Bobby Freeman is leading the investigation.
The Kentucky Highway Department helped clean up the accident scene.
“We had a lot of gasoline and oil spillage on the road,” Bird added.
Bird said Tuesday morning that officers were going to get grand jury subpoenas for the medical records of both Bennett and Hurst, which would include toxicology tests from when they were admitted to the hospital.
Authorities suspect that Bennett was under the influence, but not Hurst based upon observations at the scene of the accident, Bird noted.
