Truck, tractor-involved crash closes U.S. 150 east of Danville
Published 1:01 pm Friday, October 20, 2017
A Boyle County man is at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center after a wreck at 8:49 a.m. Friday between a tractor and a truck on U.S. 150.
Johnny Roney, 82, has been stabilized but has a broken neck and a head bleed, said his son, David Roney. They are awaiting further tests.
Johnny Roney, a farmer and former school bus driver was driving his tractor west on U.S. 150 when it is believed that a truck, driven by Joshua Chambers, 33, of Lawrenceburg, rear-ended him, according to Boyle County Emergency Management Director Mike Wilder.
David Roney explained they believe the truck went up over the bush hog, which had the wings up and was attached to the back of the tractor. The wheels from the bush hog were found across the eastbound lane of U.S. 150 and parts were broken off of it.
Wilder said the bush hog appears to have acted like a ramp. The truck is then believed to have hit the back corner of the cab on the tractor, before the truck flipped on its side. The tractor also spun around.
The cab of the tractor shifted upon impact, Roney said, and the glass was broken. The draw bar that connected the bush hog and tractor was also broken.
“There was a lot of damage,” Roney said. Johnny Roney was flown to UK.
Chambers was transported to the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center via ambulance. Wilder said he did not appear to be severely injured and credited the airbags for making the difference.
“It could have been really bad,” he said.
Limestone Farm Lawn Worksite picked up the tractor. The truck and bush hog were also towed from the scene separately.
The road remained closed for several hours. At about 11 a.m., the eastbound lane was turned into a two-lane road to allow traffic to flow.
PECCO Emergency Response from Lexington was called to clean up the hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel and another fluid from within the tractor tires. David Roney explained that the tractor had a fluid similar to wiper fluid to give the tires weight.
It is not currently clear what caused the crash. Witnesses said Chambers admitted to having fallen asleep. Wilder said the investigation is still pending, but there were no break lines on the road and that Chambers said he did not see the tractor.