February 14th, 2011 | 
Author: OWINGSVILLE, KY – A truck accident Wednesday, February 2, in Bath County, Kentucky sent a semi tractor trailer plunging into a creek and set off a search for the missing driver. The early morning crash occurred off Interstate 64 near the city of Owingsville, KY in the eastern part of the state. The truck accident area is just outside the Lexington metro region, about 124 miles southeast of Cincinnati, Ohio and about 82 miles west of Huntington, West Virginia.
Early Wednesday morning a truck driver, who has not yet been identified, was driving through eastern Kentucky. The semi driver was hauling a load of auto parts at the time of the truck accident, but his destination is unknown.
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Shortly before 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning the truck driver had reach Bath County and was eastbound on Interstate 64. The truck accident occurred when the driver suddenly lost control of the semi as he was passing mile marker 122, just outside Owingsville. The tractor trailer skidded across the interstate’s median and into the westbound lanes of the highway. The 18 wheeler then went off I-64 and plunged down an approximately 50 foot embankment and into the icy waters of the Slate Creek.
No other persons or vehicles were involved in the truck accident.
The cab section of the tractor trailer began to quickly sink into the Slate Creek and by the time emergency personnel arrived the truck was partially submerged in the water. EMTs responding to the truck accident looked for the driver but they could not see him in the cab and he was not found along the shore of the creek.
The Slate Creek had recently swollen due to heavy rains and snow storms and one official at the crash site estimated that the waterway was 10-15 feet deep. Local dive teams were called to the truck accident area and began to search the icy waters for the missing semi driver. The team would also take a camera to search the watery cab section.
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While search teams looked for the driver, a crew brought in a heavy wrecker to pull the semi trailer out of Slate Creek. After a couple hours they were able to pull the trailer section out of the water and up on the shore however the cab was still in the creek and crews apparently were having difficulty hauling the submerged section out of the water.
As the day wore on the current in the Slate Creek became stronger and the water murkier, due to all the action of the search teams and work crews. By nightfall authorities in charge of the truck accident rescue operation suspended the search effort for the night, stating that the conditions had become too dangerous for the dive teams. The search resumed Thursday morning.
The truck accident caused some traffic delays along I-64 as emergency vehicles and machinery were brought to the truck accident site. Kentucky State Police shut down one westbound lane and one eastbound lane while the rescue teams and highway crews worked. The eastbound lane was eventually reopened but police expected to keep the westbound lane closed until the cab section of the truck was out of Slate Creek. Crews finally pulled the cab out of the creek Thursday afternoon but unfortunately the truck driver was not inside and is still missing.
At this point officials have not determined what caused the early morning truck accident. A major blizzard was sweeping across the US at the time but it is unclear if weather was a factor in the crash.
The search for the missing driver continues and the truck accident remains under investigation.
Gordon Elias & Seely, LLP recommend that if you know anyone who has been injured or killed as the result of a commercial truck accident involving a semi truck, 18 wheeler, big rig, tractor trailer or bus, tell them to immediately contact a qualified truck accident lawyer for advice. Often times the truck company and the truck driver will be from other states other than where the accident occurred. Truck accident attorneys often times have relationships with other experienced truck accident attorneys licensed in other states. Gordon, Elias & Seely LLP are licensed in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Washington, DC and have informal relationships with other truck accident lawyers. For more information, visit their page about KY truck accident lawyers or call 800.773.6770.
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