Corbin Police Chief David Campbell surveys part of the wreckage left from a six-vehicle accident on I-75 between Corbin and Williamsburg Saturday afternoon.
A Corbin Police officer’s efforts to help a person involved in a single-vehicle wreck on Interstate 75 led to a second wreck that involved six vehicles including an RV and the officer’s SUV and sent four people to the hospital, one of whom is in critical condition.
Corbin Police K-9 Officer Tim Baker responded to the single vehicle wreck southbound near the 21-mile marker about 3 p.m. Saturday. He was attempting to slow traffic as it came around a curve near the site of the wreck.
However, an RV, driven by Marvin Jasper, 85, of Lebanon, Ohio, was unable to slow down on the wet roadway, missing Baker’s vehicle, but rear-ending a minivan as it plowed along the cable barrier.
"The front of the RV is all torn up," Corbin Police Chief David Campbell said, adding this he couldn’t explain how vehicle the RV was towing stayed secure throughout the incident.
Four other vehicles were caught up as drivers tried to slow down, including a Chrysler minivan, which was severely damaged and left in the middle of the highway near Baker’s vehicle. The driver of the minivan, Brad Rupp, 46, of Archbold, Ohio, had to be extricated from the vehicle by Three Point Firefighters. He was taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center and then transferred to the University of Kentucky Medical Center where he was listed in fair condition.
"It just happened really fast," said one witness.
Other vehicles involved in the wreck included a Dodge Caravan, mini-van driven by Donald Stanley Post, 80, of Woodstock, Ont., Canada. Post and a passenger, Elanor Millard, 71, also of Woodstock, were both taken to BRMC. Millard was also transferred to UK where she is listed in critical condition.
Edward Newcom, 75 of Dade City, Fla. was uninjured, but the passenger in his Buick Lucerne, Sharon Newcom, 72, was taken to BRMC.
The final vehicle involved was a Ford Taurus, driven by Edwin Black, 43, of Rainbow City, Ala. Neither Black nor his passenger, Eddie Black, 19, was injured.
Campbell said Baker was not injured in the wreck. His vehicle suffered minor damage, but was towed from the scene.
Traffic was backed up to just south of exit 29. Oncoming traffic was diverted off the interstate at exit 29 taking U.S. 25W as an alternate route but was still backup beyond the Ky. 312 overpass.
KSP Traffic Crash Reconstructionist Trooper Craig Reed stated that neither drugs nor alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the crash. Seat belts were in use by all of those involved in the wreck.
State Police were assisted at the scene by Corbin Police, Whitley County EMS, Three Point Fire Department and Corbin Fire Department.
