Officials haven’t yet ruled out if drugs or alcohol were a factor in an early morning crash Saturday on Ky. 52, just east of Danville, which claimed the life of a Lancaster teen and sent four others to the hospital.

“We’re not ruling those out,” Purdy said. “It may be a contributing factor.

According to Trooper Robert Purdy with the Kentucky State Police, the possibility is being considered, however, they can’t conclusively state that the unlicensed 15-year-old driver, whose name isn’t being released due to being a juvenile, was under the influence.

“It’s part of the ongoing investigation,” he said. 

The wreck occurred just before 5 a.m., resulting in the death of Douglas Hadding, 16 of Lancaster, according to the Boyle County Coroner.

Purdy said troopers believe someone in the car was under the influence, potentially of alcohol or drugs, but they haven’t yet determined who yet — or what they were on.

Initial reports from the Kentucky State Police say the juveniles were driving a 2003 Chevrolet Impala east on Ky. 52 when the car left the right side of the road and collided with a concrete bridge barrier before coming to rest in the middle of the roadway. None of the passengers were wearing a seat belt. Hadding was partially ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.

Purdy said two of the surviving passengers were female and two were male; of those, three were from Garrard County and one was from Jessamine County. One of the passengers had a license, but it is uncertain why they weren’t driving.

The other four were transported to the University of Kentucky Hospital with unknown injuries. Two of the juveniles remain hospitalized with serious lower body injuries while the other two were released, Purdy said on Thursday.