By Nita Johnson
Staff Writer
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
The softball coach of North Laurel High School remains at the University of Kentucky Medical Center following a two-car collision early Wednesday morning.
Becky Abner Osborne, 28, of High Moore Road in London, suffered from a tear in her spleen and a bruised kidney, according to her father Bill Abner, but is doing well following the accident.
Osborne’s daughter, six-year-old Ashley Osborne, was in a car seat in the rear of the vehicle when the crash occurred. The child received a bruise on her forehead and lost a baby tooth.
The accident took place at the intersection of Ky. 1535 (Sinking Creek Road) and the Russell Dyche Memorial Highway (Ky. 80) around 8:15 a.m. as Osborne was taking her daughter to school. Osborne said she was crossing the roadway and pulled in front of an eastbound vehicle driven by 34-year-old Kevin Hopkins of Happy Hollow Road in London. Osborne said she did not see any oncoming traffic when she pulled into the roadway.
However, Hopkins’ tan Mazda hit Osborne’s Nissan Altima in the rear passenger side, sending both vehicles into the center of the roadway, blocking traffic. Becky Osborne had to be removed from her car by mechanical means.
All three persons were taken by Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County to Saint Joseph-London. Becky Osborne was taken to the Lexington hospital for the tear in the spleen as a precautionary measure, according to her father. Osborne is hoping to return to her coaching position next week, her father said. Rogers Strong will act as interim head softball coach until Osborne’s return to the team.
The accident is being investigated by Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy William Bo Harris. Assisting at the scene of the accident were Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore, Bailiff Brandon Broughton, Bailiff Shane Rice, Kentucky State Police Trooper Lloyd Cochrane, Ambulance Inc. and Laurel EMS, the Colony Volunteer Fire Department, and the London-Laurel County Rescue Squad.
njohnson@sentinel-echo.com
