One killed, three injured after bad crash in Lincoln County

[crunchman12001]

Be careful out there, check your hitch and chains.

One killed, three injured after bad crash in Lincoln County

LINCOLN COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department is investigating a deadly crash that left one person dead and three injured.


Family members provided a photo of Scotty Ray Young, 29, and his stepgrandson Colton, who is six months old.

It happened before 6 p.m. on Monday on U.S. 150 near Tin Man Manufacturing.

Sheriff Curt Folger says a truck hauling a camper was driving eastbound on U.S. 150 when the camper came loose and went into the westbound lanes, hitting an SUV head-on.

The sheriff says the driver of the SUV was killed at the scene. On Tuesday morning, the Lincoln County Coroner identified that man as 29-year-old Scotty Ray Young.

Young was with his wife, Bonnie Young, at the time of the crash. The couple was heading to Stanford to drop off their two grandchildren

An air ambulance transported a six-month-old baby to a hospital in critical condition. Bonnie Young and another child suffered injuries in the crash. Their conditions are not known at this time.

"The westbound vehicle attempted evasive action by moving to the shoulder, but the camper was on top of it quicker than ... well, there wasn't nothing they could do," Sheriff Folger said.

Folger says the two people inside the truck were not hurt in the crash.

"It appears that it is a very, very tragic accident," Sheriff Folger said.

U.S. 150 between KY 1770 and Preachersville Road was closed for several hours while accident reconstruction teams investigated the scene. It has since reopened.

[HangDiver]

Wow. Very sorry to hear for all involved. We almost had a head-on collision returning home with my TT two days ago. Two lane road and someone in oncoming traffic decided to pass. I had to veer-off the highway to avoid the collision.

[pbrown1988]

This is so tragic.. How does this happen? I've seen this same type of "accident" more than a few times. I can somewhat see how it is "possible" that the coupler comes off of the ball, but do people not hook up their safety chains? Do they not test and utilize their break away braking system? Complacency is not an excuse, when your hauling a trailer no matter what size, you need to test and triple check ALL connections and systems. This is a prime example of why.... Thoughts and prayers for the family that suffered such a tragic loss.

[crunchman12001]

I cannot believe they are not charging the driving that was towing the trailer. How could the trailer come lose? Examples below....
Not down on the ball all the way?
Wrong size ball?
No hitch pin lock?

No chains to hold the trailer to the truck?
Bad chains?
Bad weld to trailer?
Undersized chains?

Dead battery, no breakaway connected, trailer brakes not working?
I would bet there will be charges after they figure it all out.

Double / triple check your setup before you start, fill up and rest. Be safe out there.

[aceinspp]

Yes this is a very tragic accident. I as a retired accident investigator would like to read the full report as to what took place and see pics. We here can not try to determine what caused the accident. We can however as suggested review and check all your safety equipment especially your break away brake system. One should not pass judgment till the facts are in. Later RJD

[pbrown1988]

Originally Posted by crunchman12001

I cannot believe they are not charging the driving that was towing the trailer. How could the trailer come lose? Examples below....
Not down on the ball all the way?
Wrong size ball?
No hitch pin lock?

No chains to hold the trailer to the truck?
Bad chains?
Bad weld to trailer?
Undersized chains?

Dead battery, no breakaway connected, trailer brakes not working?
I would bet there will be charges after they figure it all out.

Double / triple check your setup before you start, fill up and rest. Be safe out there.

I was kind of being sarcastic, I understand all of the "how's" but I cannot understand how someone can be so neglectful that literally all of the connections/safety devices fail and someone has to pay with their life. I agree the driver towing that camper should be charged for this (im assuming they will be).

[crunchman12001]

Originally Posted by pbrown1988

I was kind of being sarcastic, I understand all of the "how's" but I cannot understand how someone can be so neglectful that literally all of the connections/safety devices fail and someone has to pay with their life. I agree the driver towing that camper should be charged for this (im assuming they will be).

We had the same thought and typed at the same time. I was not aiming that post at you but to the newbies that may not know what to look for to prevent this type of accident from happening.
I agree and feel this was a preventable accident.

[A32Deuce]

I look at this the same as I read people on this forum that don't feel you need an emergency brake system on their toad! I don't know how many I have read "They Did Not Think It Was Needed"! Until I said, I hope to help its not your toad that comes loose and hits me head on!

[dnmatt7]

This was the second instance of a trailer disconnecting from a vehicle in this area in the past week. There was one that came off on I-75 in Lexington last week. Can't remember where they were from. Luckily there weren't any injuries in that one.

[Hoyt15]

New to towing how can I check my break away switch on my popup we bought a few months ago.

[DreiHunde]

So sad.
Double check your equipment. Lets just leave it at that.

[Darmo15]

Originally Posted by crunchman12001

I cannot believe they are not charging the driving that was towing the trailer. How could the trailer come lose? Examples below....
Not down on the ball all the way?
Wrong size ball?
No hitch pin lock?

No chains to hold the trailer to the truck?
Bad chains?
Bad weld to trailer?
Undersized chains?

Dead battery, no breakaway connected, trailer brakes not working?
I would bet there will be charges after they figure it all out.

Double / triple check your setup before you start, fill up and rest. Be safe out there.

The local news said it was mechanical failure. Possible broken hitch?

[mlatter]

@Hoyt15
Disconnect the electrical connection from the tow vehicle, to make sure the trailer's own electrical system is working, and pull the pin out of the breakaway switch. Pull the trailer forward and the trailer wheels should impose significant drag, if not lock up.

[Hoyt15]

Thank you, I am going to try it, and need will adjust brakes on pop up camper.

[tuckerdog1]

Poor people didn't have a chance. Surprised anybody survived.

[asquared]

So sad but too many variables for any of us to make any judgement calls on what happened. They said it was a large truck pulling the trailer. Is it possible it was a fiver which has no safety chains? Unable to tell from pics.

[Oaklevel]

X2 Don't jump to conclusions without all the facts which none of us have.

How many hook their break away cable to the receiver.......... bad idea I have seen the receiver break away from the TV frame more than once..........

Sorry to hear of this tragic accident..............
not only for the family but the TV driver has to live with it as well.

[D W]

Originally Posted by asquared

So sad but too many variables for any of us to make any judgement calls on what happened. They said it was a large truck pulling the trailer. Is it possible it was a fiver which has no safety chains? Unable to tell from pics.

Don't really know. What I do see in the picture is where steel slid across the pavement. What I don't see are any black skid marks.

[Crusadernoob]

Hitch could have been rotted out and broke........ Then if it came off as an assembly no trailer brakes would have been activated.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by D W

Don't really know. What I do see in the picture is where steel slid across the pavement. What I don't see are any black skid marks.

But the SUV probably drove the camper back several feet covering up the skid marks. If the SUV was traveling 55 plus and the camper was nearly stopped that could happen. But we have no way to know. I do see that the camper is a Forest River Puma. The brakes could have activated on the camper.

Just not enough info just bad to judge it could happen to any of us.