Saturday afternoon at approximately 2:20, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Caneyville Fire Department, and EMS responded to the 93 mile marker of eastbound Western Kentucky Parkway on the report of a single-vehicle accident.
Upon arriving at the scene, Deputies Dylan Bohn, Fred Norder and Special Deputy Mark Stanton found that a Nissan Armada had left the road and struck an embankment before rolling side-to-side multiple times.
According to Grayson County Coroner Joe Brad Hudson and the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, the Nissan, being driven by 43-years-old Charles Martin, of Benton (in Marshall County), was traveling east when he veered slightly off the road and into the median; about the width of a tire. Martin then apparently jerked the steering wheel to get back onto the roadway, with the Armada traveling across both eastbound lanes before striking an embankment head-on.
The Nissan traveled along the embankment a short distance before hitting a ditch and rolling side-to-side several times.
According to authorities, none of the six occupants of the vehicle were wearing seat belts, resulting in multiple people being ejected, and Martin being partially ejected.
Hudson said Martin was pronounced dead at the scene from blunt force trauma, with 42-year-old Melanie Wiles, of Benton, being transported to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries, according to Hudson.
Three other passengers were airlifted from the scene, as the westbound lanes of the parkway were shut down to allow the medical helicopters to land. Two of the helicopters flew victims to University of Louisville Hospital, with the third diverted to an unknown trauma center, according to the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.
All three victims airlifted suffered critical injuries. One occupant was transported to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center by private means, but suffered no apparent injuries.
The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the crash.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
