Kennedy Knowles Killed in Truck Accident on I-75 in Lexington, KY
Lexington, KY — January 13, 2023, 19-year-old Kennedy Knowles died in a collision with a semi-truck on Interstate 75 in Lexington.
Authorities say the incident happened around 10:00 p.m. on I-75 near mile marker 111. Preliminary investigation suggests only that Knowles was driving a pickup truck in the area when he crashed with a semi-truck for unconfirmed reasons. Investigators later added that icy road conditions may have been a factor in the collision.
Knowles was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
After I see wrecks like this one where icy conditions are thought to be a big factor, I often wonder if they'll get the careful attention they deserve. The majority of accidents happen due to a combination of causal factors, so it's important to investigate carefully and learn all the facts rather than simply shrug and blame Mother Nature.
That's not to suggest that ice wasn't a factor, but acknowledging it was present on the roads doesn't really explain how one or both vehicles lost control on it. Learning that will require rounding up and examining all the available data: What do the readouts from each vehicle's Electronic Control Module say? Do debris analysis and tire marks give a more accurate picture of what occurred? Would forensic examination of the vehicles find any malfunctions or defects? Does the semi-truck have dashcam footage to review? Were there any other witnesses?
All those potential sources of information must be rigorously checked to get the facts. That's important after any crash, but especially after a life is cut short as it was in Lexington. That young man's family may still have a lot of questions that simply blaming "ice" doesn't answer, so I hope authorities will make every effort to bring them the facts they deserve.
